title: Chiral twisting of a smectic-A liquid crystal
abstract: Chiral twisting of the molecular orientation within the layer of a smectic-A liquid crystal has been investigated using circular dichroism spectroscopy. The results indicate that a rotation of the layers away from the alignment direction is induced by the surface electroclinic effect. This leads to an interfacial region where the molecular director twists from the alignment direction until it reaches the layer normal direction. A theory is presented to explain the observed field and temperature dependence of the circular dichroism.
authors.affiliation: Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Naval Research Laboratory, Code 6950, Washington, D.C. 20375-5348, USA.
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Spector
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Weslowski
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Kamien
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Selinger
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Ratna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shashidhar