Electrically Induced Tilt in Achiral Bent-Core Liquid Crystals

Abstract

We report an electric-field-induced SmA-SmC transition in a liquid crystal formed by achiral bent molecules. The steric moment of such molecules is too small to spontaneously induce the phases characteristic to the bent-core mesogens. On the other hand, its contribution to the thermodynamical properties of the mesophases make it possible to induce tilt and polar order by the action of the external electric field. This effect is unique for bent mesogens and its physical nature differs from an electroclinic effect observed in the SmA* phase of chiral liquid crystals.