Novel ferroelectric mixtures for fast switching devices

Abstract

A new series of ferroelectric mixtures has been prepared, and are reported in terms of their transition temperatures, spontaneous polarisation (Ps) and tilt angle (θ) as function of temperature, and switching time and contrast ratio as a function of applied field. The achiral host mixtures utilised for these studies are based on known and novel systems, incorporating difluoroterphenyl compounds⁽¹⁾ which exhibit high levels of dielectric biaxiality⁽²⁾ and low viscosity. The maximum value of Ps recorded was > 20 nC cm⁻², with contrast ratios of > 200:1, switching time of <0.04 ms and tilt angles >25[ddot].

Key Words:

• Ferroelectric liquid crystals
• spontaneous polarisation
• tilt angle
• switching time
• contrast ratio
• transition temperature difluoroterphenyl
• cyanohydrin ester.