Undulation patterns in pattern formation of cholesteric liquid crystals as wavelength-changing instabilities

Abstract

The pattern formation in. cholesleric liquid crystals (ChLC) is studied in terms of the general pattern selection behaviors near thresholds. Because of the presence of two closely separated thresholds in the ChLC phase, a pattern selection process can be induced in ChLCs without external treatments. It is suggested that, instead of the usual local nucleation, undulation patterns involve the wavelength-changing instability.