Analysis of Molecular Orientation in Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals by Polarized FT-IR

Abstract

We have observed hindered rotation of C=O in a homogeneously aligned cell in SmC^* of a FLC compound by polarized FT-IR. Since this compound contains keto, ester, and lactic acid groups, three C=O stretching peaks are observed. They show different dependences on the polarization rotation angle, indicating that three C=O stretching direction have different hindered directions with respect to the molecular long axis. By comparing the obtained data with the simulated results, we have determined the degree of hindrance and the hindered direction.