Dielectric and electro-optical properties of Mn₁₂-acetate and ferroelectric liquid crystal composite

ABSTRACT

The impact of single-molecule magnet (SMM), Mn₁₂-acetate, on the dielectric properties of ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) has been investigated by dielectric spectroscopy and electro-optical techniques in a dual electrode sample cell (DESC). The temperature-dependent dielectric studies on Mn₁₂-acetate/FLC composite have revealed the enhancement in the ferroelectric (smectic C*) to paraelectric (smectic A*) phase transition temperature by 3.5°C. The relaxation process corresponding to Goldstone mode in the ferroelectric phase of the composite is found to be slower compared to pure FLC sample. The electrical response for an input triangular wave shows the existence of one extra polarisation peak in Mn₁₂-acetate/FLC composite which is ascribed to the induced dipole moment in Mn₁₂-acetate molecule. The electro-optical texture of Mn₁₂-acetate/FLC composite revealed that the incorporation of SMM in FLC significantly improve the memory effect.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Ferroelectric liquid crystal
• Mn₁₂-acetate
• electro-optical memory
• dielectric properties

Acknowledgements

Director, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi is gratefully acknowledged for his keen interest in the work and encouragements. We thank Drs. Sukhvir Singh, Sanjay Singh, Daya Soni and Rajesh Agnihotry for providing access to their research facilities. We thank Dr. Anurag Gupta for the detailed magnetic measurements. Priti Singh and Shilpi Verma sincerely acknowledge support from Department of Science and Technology (DST) Inspire Faculty project (IFA12-CH-31).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

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