Biaxial Order Parameter in an Achiral Bent–Core Smectic Liquid Crystal

Abstract

The important parameter of the mesogens which governs nearly all fascinating physical properties is its order parameter. In the biaxial liquid crystals (LCs), there are two order parameters: primary (long axis) and secondary (short axis). The secondary orientational order parameter (η) of an achiral bent core (BC) LC material with terminal alkyl chain length 8 was estimated from the temperature dependent field induced biaxiality measurements in SmAP_A phase for the first time. The Haller's extrapolation technique is used for the estimation of η as it can directly apply to biaxiality measurements rather than to refractive indices.

Keywords:

• Bent-core molecules
• biaxial LC
• order parameter
• biaxiality

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the DIT research programme, EU Grant No. FP7-216025 BIND and SFI Grant No. RFP 06/RFP/ENE039 for funding this work.