Characterization of a fluorinated chiral liquid-crystal material displaying large electroclinic effect

The phase sequence, the electrical, and electro-optical properties of a novel fluorinated chiral liquid crystal material are presented. At room temperature, the material is in the S* _C phase with a tilt angle of 23°. The tilt decreases with increasing temperature and vanishes at 57°C where the material displays an phase. In the S* _A phase, the material displays a large electroclinic effect with a concomitant increase in birefringence similar to that observed in the de Vries phases. At 58°C, a tilt of almost 20° can be induced with a field of 14Vμm ^-1. A large electroclinic effect is also observed in the S* _C phase; at any temperature the tilt can be increased to its room temperature value with a sufficiently large field.