Phase Transitions and Switching Behavior in a Fluorine-Containing Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal

Abstract

Phase transitions and switching behavior in a fluorine containing ferroelectric liquid crystal, whose optical purity was controlled by mixing (R) and (S) enantiomorphs, were studied. Only for the pure (R) or (S) enantiomorphs, the phase transition from the SmA to the third state SmC_A ^*, occurred directly. For the mixtures of (R) and (S) enantiomorphs, the phase transition occurred from the SmA to the SmC_A ^* via the SmC^*. In these mixtures, with decreasing temperature in SmC^*, internal disclination loops changed from “boat type” to “stripe type”.