2A03 Electric Field-Induced Cubic Phase in ANBC-22. 2.

Abstract

We examined the influence of an alternating current (ac) electric field on the smectic C (SmC) phase of 4'-n-docosyloxy-3'-nitrobiphenyl-4-carboxylic acid (ANBC-22), and the formation of a field-induced cubic (Cub) phase with optical isotropy was observed for the first time. The induction was realized down to a temperature 10 K below the zero-field SmC to Cub phase transition temperature (T_<SmC-Cub>). The effect of ac field on the storage modulus and loss modulus was also examined, and under a certain condition, the formation of the induced Cub phase gave rise to a gradual increase of the shear storage modulus and the modulus recovered quickly in response to the removal of the field.