Model to describe light scattering by polymer film containing droplets with inhomogeneous anchoring of liquid crystal molecules at the polymer-droplet interface: asymmetry effect in the angular distribution of light

• Published in: Liquid crystals Vol. 46; no. 9; pp. 1415 - 1427
• Main Authors: Konkolovich, A. V., Miskevich, A. A., Krakhalev, M. N., Prishchepa, O. O., Shabanov, A. V., Zyryanov, V. Ya, Loiko, V. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 15-07-2019; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Algorithms; Anchoring; Angular distribution; angular distribution of scattered light; Approximation; Asymmetry; Broken symmetry; Disks; Droplets; Energy conservation; Flux density; Free energy; Light diffraction; Light scattering; light transmission; liquid crystal droplets; Liquid crystals; Mathematical analysis; Monolayers; Numerical analysis; Polymer films; Polymer-dispersed liquid crystal film; Polymers; Relaxation method (mathematics); Spatial distribution; Wave scattering
• ISSN: 0267-8292; 1366-5855
• DOI: 10.1080/02678292.2019.1573331

A model to describe light scattering by polymer film containing of monolayer of liquid crystal droplets with inhomogeneous anchoring of liquid crystal molecules at the polymer-droplet interface is developed. It is based on the interference approximation of the wave scattering theory. The director field distribution in the droplet volume is determined by solving the free energy density minimization problem using the relaxation method. The spatial distribution of droplets in the layer is described by the hard disks model. The amplitude scattering matrices of individual droplets are found in the anomalous diffraction approximation. The algorithm for numerical analysis of the characteristics of light scattered in a polymer film containing droplets at homogeneous and inhomogeneous surface anchoring is described in terms of the partial filling factors of the monolayer film. Electrically controllable symmetry breaking effect of angular distribution of light scattered by films containing droplets with inhomogeneous anchoring at the polymer-droplet interface is described and experimentally confirmed.