Communication: Experimental proof of symmetry breaking in tilted smectics composed of molecules with axial chirality

For the first time, domains with twisted structures have been established in planar samples of achiral compounds in tilted smectic C phase. This evidences separation of molecular conformers differing in the sense of axial chirality and confirms polar C-2 symmetry of these domains. A simple model considering polar surface anchoring energy and bulk energy of the twist can account for this finding. Conditions for coexistence of twisted and homogeneous domains are discussed. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3525644]