Effect of Enantiomeric Excess on the Smectic- – Smectic-C* Phase Transition

Abstract

Calorimetric investigation on the effect of enantiomeric excess on the smectic- (Sm) – smectic-C* (SmC*) phase transition has been carried out using a high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry in an antiferroelectric liquid crystal compound. For highly optically pure samples, the Sm – SmC* transition is found to be first-order accompanying a thermal hysteresis, while the decrease in the optical purity weakens the first-order nature of the transition and eventually moves towards continuous behavior through the critical point. Our results indicate that the enantiomeric excess dramatically influences the nature of the Sm – SmC* transition.

Keywords:

• Antiferroelectric liquid crystal
• critical behavior
• enantiomeric excess
• high-sensitivity dsc
• Sm – SmC* transition

Acknowledgment

This work was supported by the Global Center of Excellence Program by MEXT, Japan through the “Nanoscience and Quantum Physics” Project of the Tokyo Institute of Technology.