We present a new high energy resonant x-ray scattering study of a brominate
d chiral liquid crystal material exhibiting antiferro, ferri and ferroelect
ric smectic C phases. The absorption K-edge of bromine is at much higher en
ergy (13.49 keV) than the sulfur K-edge (2.47 keV) which should enable a wi
der variety of experimental geometries. A weak resonant signal is detected
on free standing films in the SmCA* phase only. Interestingly, the signal i
s stronger in binary mixtures with a bromine free thiobenzoate compound. Th
is observation suggests that most chiral liquid crystal structures could be
studied by resonant scattering after incorporation of a molecule bearing a
resonant atom as a probe. Resonant x-ray diffraction profiles are also cal
culated for some recently proposed distorted clock models of the 4-layer fe
rrielectric phases. Finally the influence of defects is investigated.