THE PHYSICAL-PROPERTIES OF A SERIES OF ANTIFERROELECTRIC HETEROCYCLICESTERS

A series of highly chiral hetrocyclic esters have been studied. The ef fect that the choice of hetroatom has on the linearity of the molecule s and hence the mesomophism of the materials has been investigated. Me asurements of the spontaneous polarisation, tilt angle, current respon se time and rotational viscosities of the materials are reported. At 3 0 degrees C below the transition from the SmA phase all members of the series show a Ps of similar to 100nCcm(-2) and a high tilt angle of a bout 30 degrees. These physical measurements confirm the presence of a higher order antiferroelectric phase in the selenophene derivative in this series.