SMECTIC LAYER SWITCHING USING A FIELD-INDUCED N-STAR-C-STAR PHASE-TRANSITION

In a chiral smectic material having an N* to C* transition, the smectic state can be induced by an applied electric field several degrees in the cholesteric state above Tc. At a certain critical field strength the smectic layers grow out along one of two directions determined by the tilt angle of the C* material and of the sign of its ferroelectric response and thus selected by the sign of the applied field. © 1991, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.