Abstract
A new concept of antiferroelectric stabilization as a result of intermolecular interaction is presented. The characteristic features of the tristable switching among the electric-field-unwound, tilted uniform states and the so-called 3rd state in the antiferroelectricity stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystals (AFS FLCs) are discussed : 1) The director is parallel to the smectic layer normal in the most stable 3rd state and the alignment is easily attained and well maintained : 2) Because of the absence of permanent spontaneous polarization, the switching is free from the so-called ghost effect, one of the serious problems in SS FLCs : 3) Sharp DC threshold and hysteresis endow the switching with the memory effect : 4) Response time sensitively depends on the applied voltage and may become sufficiently fast : 5) The soft smectic layer assures the quasi-bookshelf layer structure and hence the relatively high contrast ratio : and 6) Regular formation of domains may allow us to attain the gray scale. Since the number of FLC materials showing AFS is increasing, it is worth while to investigate its application to displays and other electro-optic devices.
