Transitions From Smectic C* to Isotropic Phase in an Applied Electric Field

Abstract

The transition temperatures from smectic C* to isotropic phase of a liquid crystal have been recorded as a function of an applied electric field. In addition to recent investigations on the phase transitions from smectic C* to smectic A in an electric field, we have found, in our case, a decrease of the transition temperature with the electric field. An explanation has been suggested to this behavior and a formula has been obtained which fits well the experimental points.

Aggregation-assisted induced electric order in the nematic phase of a metallorganic complex

“…In a recent paper 11 we interpreted this behavior of AZ-PAC in terms of a frozen-in polarization which goes down when raising the temperature, the time derivative of polarization being just the current. The shift in temperature of the maxima was attributed to a kind of internal electroclinic effect due to the electric field set in by frozen-in polarization.…”