DEFLECTION OF LIGHT AT THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN FERROELECTRIC AND ANTIFERROELECTRIC STATES IN CHIRAL SMECTIC LIQUID-CRYSTALS

A light deflection phenomenon was observed at a field-induced phase tr ansition point between an antiferroelectric state and ferroelectric on e in antiferroelectric liquid crystals. The dependence of the angle of deflection on the angle of incidence was numerically analyzed, and it was concluded that the light deflection is due to refraction and refl ection at the boundaries between the states coexisting at the field-in duced phase transition point. A similar deflection phenomenon was also observed in the ferroelectric and ferrielectric phases at zero electr ic field, Possible phases or domains coexisting in this condition were discussed.