Structure analysis of electric-field-induced phase in the SmCα* phase

Abstract

We studied the applied-electric-field dependence of the structure change of the SmCα* phase by with nanaometer-sized helical structure at zero electric field. By the electric-field- birefringence and resonant X-ray scattering measurements, it was found that he structure change depends on the helical pitch at zero field; from the in short pitch range less than 3 layers (lower temperature range of SmCα*), the pitch elongates and attains to 3 layers with increasing the applied field, while in longer pitch range than 3 layers (higher temperature range of SmCα*), the pitch elongates and attains to 4 layers. In addition, 4 layer-unit field-induced transition phase is suggested to be unexpectedly antiferroelectric-like, because the optical birefringence is almost zero or negative under the applied field.