Abstract
When an a.c. electric field is applied to the ferroelectric liquid crystal(FLC) sandwich cell with homogeneous alignment, the substrate oscillates in the direction perpendicular to both the smectic layer normal and the direction of an electric field. This phenomenon is called as an electromechanical effect. The purpose of this study is to develop a (liquid crystalline polymer/low molecular weight liquid crystal) composite system which possesses micro-actuating characteristics induced by the electromechanical effect of the FLC. The vibrational displacement of the substrate upon the application of an a.c. electric field was observed with a polarizing optical microscope. When an a.c. electric field with a saw wave was applied to the cell, the translational displacement was realized. This indicates that an asymmetric shear stresss was generated by the application of an a.c. electric field with a saw type wave which has a different speed in the polarity inversion. It is apparent that the composite system showed an electromechanical effect.
