Structural defects in smectic c* liquid crystals

In this paper the structure of a smectic c* liquid crystalline material which can be switched in an electric field is investigated by electron microscopic techniques. Using this method the director field is revealed and typical disclinations observed. Analysis of these features enables the elastic anisotropy of the material to be calculated. Sample description. For our structure investigations a liquid crystalline material (4-(3-(s)-methyl-2-(s)-chloropentanoyloxy)-4'-octyloxy-biphenyl) with two chiral centres was synthesised using known procedures [I]. This material has been investigated by broadband dielectric spectroscopy, the softand Goldstone modes were analysed [2a] as well as the hig…