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A Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Conglomerate Composed of Racemic Molecules
David M. Walba,1*
Eva Körblova,1
Renfan Shao,2
Joseph E. Maclennan,2
Darren R. Link,2
Matthew A. Glaser,2
Noel A. Clark2
We describe the design and synthesis of a ferroelectric liquid
crystal composed of racemic molecules. The ferroelectric polarizationresults from spontaneous polar symmetry breaking in a fluid smectic.The ferroelectric phase is also chiral, resulting in the formationof a
mixture of macroscopic domains of either handedness at theisotropic-to-liquid crystal phase transition. This smectic liquidcrystal is thus a fluid conglomerate. Detailed investigation ofthe
electrooptic and polarization current behavior within individualdomains in liquid crystal cells shows the thermodynamically stablestructure to be a uniformly tilted smectic bow-phase (banana phase),with all layer pairs homochiral and ferroelectric
(SmCSPF).
1 Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and
Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Materials Research Center, University of
Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0215, USA.
2 Department of
Physics and Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Materials Research Center,
University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309-0390, USA
*
To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
walba{at}colorado.edu
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In Science Magazine
PERSPECTIVES
Tom C. Lubensky (23 June 2000) Science288 (5474), 2146.
[DOI: 10.1126/science.288.5474.2146] |Summary »|Full Text »
REPORTS
R. Pratibha, N. V. Madhusudana, and B. K. Sadashiva (23 June 2000) Science288 (5474), 2184.
[DOI: 10.1126/science.288.5474.2184] |Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
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