ELECTRIC-FIELD EFFECT ON LAYER STRUCTURE IN SURFACE-STABILIZED FERROELECTRIC LIQUID-CRYSTALS

Electric field dependence of the layer structure in surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystals (SSFLCs) was investigated by means of a n X-ray diffraction experiment. With increasing amplitude of the appli ed electric held (square wave, 20 Hz), in the SmC phase, the layer st ructure in our SSFLCs changed from the chevron layer structure to book shelf layer structure. In the SmA phase (high temperature than the SmC phase), the tilted bookshelf layer structure changed to a nontilted bookshelf one. The layer structure in the SmC phase changed from an ' 'asymmetric'' chevron layer structure to ''symmetric'' chevron layer s tructure when the samples were cooled from the SmA phase. The applicat ion of electric field to SSFLCs in the SmA phase induced the well-orie nted bookshelf layer structure, and it is also useful to obtain the sy mmetric chevron layer structure in the SmC phase.