In the last 20 years the study of nonlinear nonequilibrium phenomena in spa tially extended systems, with particular emphasis on pattern-forming phenomena, has been one of the very active areas in physics, exhibiting interesting ramifi cations into other sciences. During this time the study of the "classic" systems, like Rayleigh-Benard convection and Taylor vortex flow in simple fluids, has also been supplemented by the study of more complex systems. Here liquid crystals have played, and are still playing, a major role. One might say that liquid crystals provide just the right amount and...

The book intends to give a state-of-the-art overview of flexoelectricity, a linear physical coupling between mechanical (orientational) deformations and electric polarization, which is specific to systems with orientational order, such as liquid crystals.Chapters written by experts in the field shed light on theoretical as well as experimental aspects of research carried out since the discovery of flexoelectricity. Besides a common macroscopic (continuum) description the microscopic theory of flexoelectricity is also addressed. Electro-optic effects due to or modified by flexoelectricity as...

In the last 20 years the study of nonlinear nonequilibrium phenomena in spa tially extended systems, with particular emphasis on pattern-forming phenomena, has been one of the very active areas in physics, exhibiting interesting ramifi cations into other sciences. During this time the study of the "classic" systems, like Rayleigh-Benard convection and Taylor vortex flow in simple fluids, has also been supplemented by the study of more complex systems. Here liquid crystals have played, and are still playing, a major role. One might say that liquid crystals provide just the right amount and...

This volume contains 20 review articles, written by experts in the field of neutron scattering, NMR, dielectric spectroscopy, ferroelectricity, liquid crystal polymers and related subjects.