Abstract
The second- and fourth-order apparent orientational order parameters of the core part of the molecule and , have been measured by polarized vibrational Raman spectroscopy for a homogeneously aligned ferroelectric smectic liquid crystal with three dimethyl siloxane groups in the achiral terminal chain, which shows de Vries–type phenomena, i.e., very large electroclinic effect in the smectic- phase and a negligible layer contraction at the phase transition between the and phases. The apparent orientational order parameters of the rigid core part of the molecule are extremely small both with and without the external electric field in . These results provide evidence for the existence of the de Vries phase, where the local molecular director is tilted at a large angle.
- Received 3 September 2003
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.71.041705
©2005 American Physical Society