SWITCHING BEHAVIOR OF SURFACE-STABILIZED FERROELECTRIC LIQUID-CRYSTALS INDUCED BY PULSE VOLTAGES

The switching behavior of surface stabilized ferroelectric liquid crys tals has been studied using a simple uniform switching model in an app lied electric field. We measured the response time as a function of pu lse voltage for a ferroelectric liquid crystal material with a negativ e dielectric anisotropy, which shows a minimum in the response time-vo ltage curve, and found good agreement between the theory and the exper imental results. Accordingly, the parameters appearing in the switchin g model, the initial azimuthal angle, rotational viscosity, and surfac e anchoring energy can be determined. (C) 1997 American Institute of P hysics.