SUPERCRITICAL CONVERSION OF THE 3RD BLUE PHASE TO THE ISOTROPIC-PHASE IN A HIGHLY CHIRAL LIQUID-CRYSTAL

The results of two independent experiments in the vicinity of the "transition" from the third blue phase (BPIII) to isotropic phase (I) are reported for a highly chiral liquid crystal. Heat capacity measurements using a high-resolution calorimeter and dynamic light-scattering measurements using circularly polarized light have been performed. The data show a continuous evolution of BPIII into I with no critical fluctuations. This is strong evidence that the BPIII-I transition in this compound is supercritical, indicating that the BPIII and I phases possess the same macroscopic symmetry. © 1995 The American Physical Society.