Flexoelectricity of wedge-like molecules in nematic mixtures

We report on the observation of flexoelectricity of an asymmetric "swallow- tail" compound by dissolving it in a BMAOB nematic matrix and studying the thickness dependence of the period of longitudinal (2nd order) domains in p lanar layers under d.c. excitation. From the experimental data and Bobilev- Pikin theory we estimate the value of the flexocoefficient difference \e*\ = \e(\z) - e(3x)\ as a function of the evaluation about expected concentrat ion and evaluate an extrapolated value of this difference for the "swallow- tail" compound.