The dependence of the electric-field-induced cholesteric-nematic transition on the dielectric anisotropy

Abstract Untwisting of the helical structure by an electric field is studied in a cholesteric liquid crystal for which Δ e decreases at increasing frequency due to relaxation of e ∥ . The threshold field for the cholesteric-nematic transition is found to be proportional to Δ e −0.5 , in agreement with theoretical predictions.