Dielectric behaviour of a new SmI* ferroelectric liquid crystal 2-hydroxy-4-decyloxybenzyliden-4′-amino 1-carboethoxyethyl cinnamate

Abstract

The dielectric response in the 2-hydroxy-4-decyloxybenzyliden-4′-amino 1-carboethoxyethyl cinnamate (HDOBACEEC) ferroelectric liquid crystal which shows a C—SmI*—SmA—Is phase transition sequence has been determined. In the vicinity of the SmA—SmI* phase transition, both Goldstone and soft mode contributions have been identified and clearly discriminated from the low frequency response. The frequency and temperature behaviour of these contributions has been studied by means of complex dielectric permittivity measurements at both sides of the transition temperature. Moreover, the temperature dependence of the spontaneous polarization has been measured in the ferroelectric phase.