The hysteretic behavior of "V-shaped switching" smectic materials

We have investigated the electro-optic response below the bulk SmC* to SmCa * transition in materials exhibiting thresholdless, V-shaped switching in t he SmC* phase. We are able to explain the very complicated hysteretic behav ior observed in these materials and its dependence on frequency, temperatur e and field strength. Strong polar surface anchoring causes coexistence of stable or metastable synclinic (SmC*) domains and stable anticlinic (SmCa*) domains during switching. The resulting response has intermediate steps in the transmission-voltage curves which in the past may have been misinterpr eted as ferrielectric states or phases.