Dynamics of Nematic Liquid Crystal under Oscillatory Flow: Influence of Surface Viscosity

We analyse the influence of a surface viscosity on the orientational dynamics of a nematic liquid crystal subjected to an oscillatory Couette flow. Approximate analytical solutions of nematohydrodynamic equations for small flow amplitudes are calculated and compared with the results of full numerical simulations. The range of flow frequencies where the surface viscosity has strong influence on the optical response is determined.