Molecular Ordering Deformation Induced by Externally Applied Electric Field in an Antiferroelectric Liquid Crystal

Abstract

Molecular orientational ordering in an antiferroelectric liquid crystal was studied by observing polarized Raman scattering in a homogeneously aligned thin sample exposed to static electric field. The apparent orientational order parameters gradually increased with the applied electric field strength even in the pretransitional regime from antiferro- to ferroelectric phase although the averaged molecular orientation was hardly changed. This change in the order parameters indicates the deformation of the c-director and is represented by the similar equation describing the nematic director deformation induced by an external electric field, in which the electric coherence length was inversely proportional to the applied electric field strength.