The Electro-Optic Response in a Series of Chiral Bi-Mesogen Low Molar Mass Organosiloxane Liquid-Crystal Materials

Abstract

The electro-optic response of a series of low molar mass bi-mesogen organosiloxane materials is presented. The materials display an unusual response to the electric field. It is argued that the observed behaviour can be explained if the material has two regimes for switching depending on temperature and the amplitude of the applied field. In one regime the two mesogenic moieties of the molecules respond independently of each other like side pendant in polymeric materials and in the other regime the bi-mesogen molecule responds as a single unit like a bent-core molecule.

Keywords:

• Bent core molecule
• bi-mesogen
• ferroelectric
• field induced phase transition
• organosiloxane
• smectic

Acknowledgment

The authors whish to thank Prof. Peter Zugenmaier for providing the liquid-crystal materials used for this study. The work was supported by Sultan Qaboos University Internal Grant IG/SCI/PHYS/09/03.