Cell Thickness Dependence of Electrooptic Response and Dielectric Behavior in an Antiferroelectric Liquid Crystal, MHPBC

Abstract

We have investigated the cell thickness dependence of the electrooptic response and the dielectric behavior in an antiferroelectric liquid crystal, (R)-4-(1-methylheptyloxy-carbonyl)phenyl 4'-octyl biphenyl-4-carboxylate, ((R)-MHPBC). In a thin cell (3.9 μm), a dielectric relaxation of a ferrielectric phase was observed even in the temperalure region of the AF and SmC_A phases of a thick cell (29.5 μm). In the electrooptic measurements, the thresholdless behavior was observed in the thin cell, though the threshold of the field-induced phase transition was clearly recognized in the thick cell.