Abstract
The evolution of super-twisted molecular configuration of nematic liquid crystalline materials confined between two parallel flat plates is simulated using the Landau-de Gennes theory. Three distinct orientation transitions from an originally super-twisted nematic cell are induced by a step decrease of the plate separation distance. It is found that depending on the final plate separation distance there are two different final steady configurations: (1) super-twisted configuration, (2) minimum angle twisted configuration. While in case (1) the configuration does not change with time, in cases (2) the spatial orientation is reconfigured to the lower energy state through the temporal appearance of an abnormal nematic state. The configuration transition can be explained in terms of the ratio of short range order elasticity effect and long range order elasticity effect.
