Optical Purity and DC Electric Field Dependences of Dielectric Behavior of SmC_β^* Phase in AFLCs

Abstract

We have observed the two-step decrease in the dielectric constant ε of biass field and the current peaks representing the existence of SmC_α^* phase in several AFLCs. In high optical purity MHPOBC, with increasing temperature in SmC_α^* phase the, first decrease of ε was disappeared and the electric field at which the second-decrease of ε occurs was drastically increased. We discuss the dielectric behavior of the SmC_β^* phase.