Surface electroclinic effect in ferroelectric liquid crystal

(Received 23 April 1993, revised 27 July 1993, accepted 31 August 1993)

Abstract
Surface electroclinic effect in chiral nematic (N ^*) phase of high-tilt-angle ferroelectric liquid crystal has been studied by dielectric relaxation and electro-optical method in a homogeneously aligned, thin samples in the frequency range of 400 Hz to 100 kHz at different temperatures. The electroclinic effect in the N ^* phase observed in the surface layers is due to the effect of surface anchoring and smectic-like ordering of the molecules at the rubbed boundary surface of the sample which has been confirmed by dielectric and optical observations. The strong anchoring in the surface layers is also presented by applying a dc bias field.