A ferroelectric liquid crystal conglomerate composed of racemic molecules
We describe the design and synthesis of a ferroelectric liquid crystal composed of racemic molecules. The ferroelectric polarization results from spontaneous polar symmetry breaking in a fluid smectic. The ferroelectric phase is also chiral, resulting in the formation of a mixture of macroscopic domains of either handedness at the isotropic-to-liquid crystal phase transition. This smectic liquid crystal is thus a fluid conglomerate. Detailed investigation of the electrooptic and polarization current behavior within individual domains in liquid crystal cells shows the thermodynamically stable structure to be a uniformly tilted smectic bow-phase (banana phase), with all layer pairs homochiral and ferroelectric (SmC(S)P(F)).
Walba
DM
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Materials Research Center, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0215, USA. Department of Physics and Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Materials Research Center, University.
Korblova
E
Shao
R
Maclennan
JE
Link
DR
Glaser
MA
Clark
NA