Dielectric investigations on oriented phases formed by banana-shaped molecules

Dielectric investigations on a magnetically oriented sample forming N, SmA, SmC and B-2 phases were carried out. The sample shows a negative dielectric anisotropy in the N state and a strong increase of the static dielectric constants perpendicular to the director in the ensuring 'classical' phases. This proves directly the strong and continuous increase of the positive dipole correlation in the lateral direction due to the steric interactions of the bent-shape molecules. From a dynamical point of view, the SmA and SmC phases of this sample show deviations from the classical phases of rod-like molecules. Crystallization did not allow us to extend the dielectric measurements into the B-2 state.