Electric field induced distortions cholesterics

Fig. 7.3. The deviation of the optic axis in a cholesteric (hard-twisted chiral nematic, p <, where p is the cholesteric pitch and A is the wavelength of light) when an electric field E is applied perpendicular to the helical axis. The cholesteric geometry allows a fiexoelectric polarization to be induced in the direction of E. The plane containing the director, which is perpendicular to the page in the middle figure and is shown in the lower figure, illustrates the splay-bend distortion and the corresponding polarization that arises. (After Rudquist, inspired by Meyer and Patel.

J. P. Hurault, Static distortions of a cholesteric planar stmcture induced by magnetic or ac electric fields, J. Chem. Phys., 59, 2068 (1973). 

J. Hurault, Static Distortions of a Cholesteric Planar Structure Induced by Magnetic or A.C. Electric Fields, Fourth International Liquid Crystal Conf., Kent, Ohio, Aug. 1972. 

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