DYNAMICS OF COLLECTIVE AND MOLECULAR-MODES OF A FERROELECTRIC LIQUID-CRYSTAL IN CONFINED GEOMETRY USING DIELECTRIC-SPECTROSCOPY

Two aerogel systems containing a ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) wi th smectic phases over a wider temperature range are investigated usin g dielectric spectroscopy. The second order transition from Sm-A to Sm -C is considerably broadened and the collective modes are detected fo r the FLC confined in aerogel pores. An additional relaxation process (AP) seen in these confined systems arises from the interface layer, t he relaxation strength of AP decreasing and of the Goldstone mode grad ually increasing as temperature is lowered.