Latest Liquid Crystal Technology

Among the characteristic physical properties of liquid crystals, what are of critical importance to display devices (LCDs) are those of macroscopic spatiotemporal scale; there, the theories of liquid crystals as continuous media play essential roles. The basis of static continuum mechanics of nematic liquid crystals was established by Oseen [1] and Frank [2] far before the development of LCD technology. The dynamic continuum theory of nematics, which is frequently called the nematodynamics, was developed by Ericksen [3] and Leslie [4] (hereafter referred to as E–L theory) based on the classical mechanics just in time for the upsurge of LCD technology. In conjunction with the electrodynamics of continuous media, the static and dynamic continuum mechanics of Oseen–Frank and E–L theory provided theoretical tools to analyze quantitatively key phenomena, e.g., Freedericksz transition of various configurations and associated optical switching characteristics. For the details of E–L theory [5, 6, 7] and its development [9, 10], please refer to the articles cited.