Banded texture induced by an electric field in lyotropic liquid crystals.

Using polarization microscopy, the formation of transient banded textures in a liquid crystalline solution of poly(gamma-benzyl L-glutamate), PBLG, that had applied in-plane DC and AC electric fields was investigated. Striped bands perpendicular to the direction of the electric field were observed under an applied electric field. The images depended on time and were recorded by video camera and then analyzed. The dynamics of director-reorientation was followed by the measurement of the optical transmittance of a sample between crossed polarizers. A reproducible optical response to a low frequency square wave was observed. The dependencies of the band spacing and the reorientation rate of director on the field strength were quantitatively investigated.