title: Unexpected field-induced phase transitions between ferrielectric and antiferroelectric liquid crystal structures.
abstract: Liquid crystals are intriguing electrically responsive soft matter systems. We report previously unexplored field-induced changes in the structures of some frustrated liquid crystal phases and describe them theoretically. Specifically, we have discovered using resonant x-ray scattering that the four-layer intermediate smectic phase can undergo either a transition to the ferrielectric (three-layer) phase or to the ferroelectric phase, depending on temperature. Our studies of intermediate phases using electric fields offer a way to test theories that describe ferroelectricity in self-assembling fluids.
authors: School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, United Kingdom.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Jaradat
authors: P D
authors: PD
authors: Brimicombe
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Southern
authors: S D
authors: SD
authors: Siemianowski
authors: E
authors: E
authors: DiMasi
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Osipov
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Pindak
authors: H F
authors: HF
authors: Gleeson