Damped Oscillation of Current and Successively Excited Flow-Patterns in the Electrohydrodynamic Instability of Nematic Liquid Crystal MBBA

Abstract

The time course of the electrical current and the induced patterns are simultaneously observed in a nematic liquid crystal MBBA (p-methoxybenziliden p–n butylaniline) under the applied ac-field. Above the critical field, we find a damped oscillation of the current and the successive changes of the corresponding flow-patterns. The patterns have the characteristic figure and size of the intermediate states to be stable for the respective magnitudes of the applied field. The patterns are clear and regular at the peak value of the current. Such repetition of the regular and distorted patterns might suggest a key understanding the mechanism of the self-organization in the system far from equilibrium.