Polarization Switching and Dielectric Relaxations in Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals

Abstract

Polarization switching and dielectric relaxations have been investigated in two novel ferroelectric liquid crystal mixtures. The samples of helical pitch ∼12 µm and 0.43 µm respectively were sandwiched in planar cells of 5 µm thickness. P S , τ r and γ have been evaluated using polarization reversal current technique. Dielectric relaxation modes have been studied under different bias conditions. In volume stabilized cell configuration ( p 0 ≪ d ) bulk domain mode appears due to the formation of modulated domain structures in bulk region while in surface stabilized cell configuration ( p 0 ≫ d ) surface stabilized domain mode was observed. New relaxation mode appeared at all bias fields in SmC * phase due to the surface effects.