Electric field induced domain formation in surface stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal cells

Abstract

Two types of domains have been observed for S sub(C) ferroelectric liquid crystals in surface stabilized cells (SSFLC) by application of a high electric field with the smectic layers tilted by the amount of the chevron angle with respect to the normal of the rubbing direction in the substrate plane. The layer structure resembles that of a chevron configuration in the plane of the substrate similar to the recently reported stripe-shaped SSFLC structure. The two domain types 'appear' to switch in a reciprocal fashion when applying an AC electric field and observed between crossed polarizers. The temperature dependence of this effect has been investigated and an explanation proposed analogous to a striped texture model.