title: Some aspects about the structure of the optically isotropic phase in a bent-core liquid crystal: chiral, polar, or steric origin.
abstract: We have studied a bent-core liquid crystal where two different optically isotropic phases can be induced by a strong electric field. Depending on the field treatment the phases can present optical rotation or be optically inactive. The switching dynamics of the phases is studied by means of electrooptic and optical second-harmonic generation measurements. It is found that the ground state of the phases is locally antiferroelectric. The structure of the phases is consistent with a disordered version of the kind of structures recently proposed for the smectic blue phase: layered systems with high Gaussian curvature. The origin of the smectic layer distortion is discussed. It is concluded that the direct reason for the curvature of planes is of steric nature.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Física de la Materia Condensada, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco, Apartado 644, 48080 Bilbao, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martínez-Perdiguero
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Folcia
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Etxebarria
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ortega