PYROELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF AN ANTIFERROELECTRIC LIQUID-CRYSTAL

The effects of temperature and applied voltage on the pyroelectric pro perties of an antiferroelectric liquid crystal are given. It has been found that the pyroelectric signal depends strongly on the bias voltag e across the sample. The pyroelectric signal behaviour is interpreted with the aid of spontaneous polarization data and good agreement is fo und between the results from the pyroelectric and polarization techniq ues. The spontaneous polarization of the sample exhibits the temperatu re- and field-induced 'Devil's staircase' behaviour, as predicted by t he Ising model.