THE DOMAIN MODE IN A SINGLE-COMPONENT FERROELECTRIC LIQUID-CRYSTAL - DIELECTRICAL AND ELECTROOPTICAL INVESTIGATIONS

In this paper we present the dielectric and electrooptic investigation s on the single component ferroelectric liquid crystal -6-[2-fluoro-4- (2-fluoro-octyloxy)phenyl]-pyridine (FFP), synthesized by E. Merck Com pany. The investigations were performed in an ITO-cell with the thickn ess of 900 nm. The sample was aligned planarly. Under the polarization microscope a Domain structure was observed. The threshold voltage for the helix unwinding in the SmC phase was determined. The complex die lectric permittivity component epsilon was measured in the frequency range from 10 Hz up to 10 MHz. Beside the Goldstone mode, a Domain mod e relaxation was found in the dielectric spectra of this substance. Du e to the small cell thickness only one Domain process, namely the surf ace Domain mode could be detected. BIAS field and temperature dependen t measurements of this Domain mode process were performed. In order to obtain the characteristic relaxation strengths and dispersion frequen cies of the observed processes the Havriliak-Negami equation was fitte d to the data obtained.