Dielectric properties of subphases SmC*α and SmC*γ in an antiferroelectric liquid crystal

Abstract

Recently synthesized in Institute of Chemistry, Military University of Technology (Warsaw), antiferroelectric liquid crystal compound (MHPOPOPC) has been studied by means of low frequency dielectric spectroscopy. This compound shows very broad temperature range of ferrielectric subphases: the SmC*α, the SmC*β, and the SmC*γ in cooling process. The dielectric characteristic of these subphases are presented. In the SmC*α phase only soft mode was observed which suggest the antiferroelectric nature of this subphase in the investigated compound. In the SmC*β, phase relaxation process of characteristic antiferroelectric ordering was observed. In the SmC*γ ferrielectric Goldstone mode was registered. The temperature dependence of parameter of these modes were presented.