Observations of the transient process of field induced transition in a liquid crystal dobambc

Abstract

The transient processes of the field induced Sm C*-to-Sm C transition and the reverse Sm C-to-Sm C* transition were investigated by means of the sequential microscope photographs. It has turned out that the two transition processes are different in mechanism. The former is similar to the switching in ferroelectrics in the sense that a domain structure is formed during the transition. As for the latter, the transition seems to occur homogeneously at all parts of specimens. A simple rate equation describing the latter process is presented.