MACROSCOPIC PROPERTIES AND ELECTROOPTICAL RESPONSE OF THE MIXTURE OF FERROELECTRIC LIQUID-CRYSTAL DOBAMBC AND SMC

Macroscopic properties like tilt angle, pitch, spontaneous polarization and response times of the mixture of DOBAMBC and SmC have been studied over the ferroelectric range of temperature. The mixture shows a similar temperature dependence as that of DOBAMBC. The tilt angle, spontaneous polarization and switching speed decrease in the mixture whereas the pitch increases. The effect of adding SmC to SmC* is to dilute its chirality and to control the properties like tilt angle, pitch etc. This behavior has been attributed to the 'diluting' effect of adding a non-chiral compound (SmC) in a chiral smectic liquid crystal compound DOBAMBC (SmC*). The operating conditions for better electro-optical response are relatively easier to achieve from the device point of view. The operating temperature range increases and appears relatively at lower temperature without much effect on the switching characteristics of the display.