Low frequency dielectric spectroscopy on mixtures containing ferroelectric liquid crystals

Abstract

Dielectric spectroscopy (frequency range 10 ⁻¹ Hz to 10⁵ Hz, temperature range 300 K to 370 K) was employed to investigate the Goldstone mode in ferroelectric liquid-crystalline mixtures of chiral and achiral compounds. While the spontaneous polarization decreases with increasing fraction of the achiral molecules the Goldstone mode remains constant in its oscillatory strength. As expected the Goldstone mode frequency shifts to lower values with increasing amount of achiral molecules in the ferroelectric liquid-crystalline mixture.