Fine structure of the repolarization current in the B 2 phase of a banana compound

Abstract

A detailed study of the field induced polarization switching has been carried out over the whole temperature range of the antiferroelectric B2 phase of a banana-shaped compound, the tetradecyl homologue (n=14) of the series 4-chloro-1,3-phenylene bis[4-(4-n -alkylphenylimino)benzoate]s. The fine structure of the current response oscillograms was attributed to the field switching of two antiferroelectric subsystems, most probably the racemic and homogeneously chiral domains which, according to the Boulder group, appear as a result of the spontaneous breaking of mirror symmetry. The temperature and field dependences of polarization as well as switching times and the corresponding viscosity of the substance have been measured.