Analysis of Layer Structures of Bent-shaped Liquid Crystal Molecules Using X-ray Microbeam

Abstract

The local layer structures in the bent-shaped molecules were investigated using X-ray microbeam. In the large circular racemic domains of 10PIMB under an application of ac field, the layer tilt angle δ to the substrate normal is zero, while the layer in the substrate plane is kinked but not bent. This structure does not change irrespective of the distance from the circular domain center. When we turned off the field, the layer apart froin the circle center forms chevron with δ〜10°, and δ decreases as the irradiated position approaches to the center. That is quite similar to the structure of onion. The local layer structure in the uniform domains obtained by the application of an electric field parallel to the substrates were also discussed.