Dynamics of twisted nematic liquid crystal pi-cells

A twisted nematic liquid crystal pi-cell with fast optical response time of 2.2 ms was prepared. We investigated the dynamics of this cell and observed the back-flow-induced optical overshoot phenomena both in homeotropic-to-planar state transition and planar-to-homeotropic state transition. We analyzed the behavior of the director and found that there is a tip-over phenomenon when the field is removed from relatively high voltage (>6 V). More important, the fluid flow effect results in the reverse twist both in the rising process and the decay process. Consequently, the reverse twist increases and decreases the effective phase retardation on the optical rising and decay process, respectively, and thus speeds up the optical response in both stages. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.