Influence of the surfaces on the nucleation process during the cholesteric-nematic transition

The nucleation phenomenon in short pitch cholesteric liquid crystals (LC) taking place during the relaxation from the electric field-induced cholesteric-nematic (CN) transition, has been investigated for various boundary conditions. The dynamic hysteresis properties have been studied by direct optical methods. For the first time it is shown the strong evidence that the nucleation is not exceptionally a bulk phenomenon and the supporting solid surfaces may act as nucleation sites. It is confirmed also that the nucleation velocity is not a function of the type of molecular alignment at the liquid crystal/solid interface rather than it depends on the uniformity of the surface interactions with liquid crystal molecules. This result is of importance for time scale optimization in modern fast driving schemes for cholesteric LCDs.