Science, Vol.278, No.5345, 1924-1927, 1997
Spontaneous Formation of Macroscopic Chiral Domains in a Fluid Smectic Phase of Achiral Molecules
A smectic liquid-crystal phase made from achiral molecules with bent cores was found to have fluid layers that exhibit two spontaneous symmetry-breaking instabilities : polar molecular orientational ordering about the layer normal and molecular tilt. These instabilities combine to form a chiral layer structure with a handedness that depends on the sign of the tilt. The bulk states are either antiferroelectric-racemic, with the layer polar direction and handedness alternating in sign from layer to layer, or antiferroelectric-chiral, which is of uniform layer handedness. Both states exhibit an electric field-induced transition from antiferroelectric to ferroelectric.
Keywords:FERROELECTRIC LIQUID-CRYSTALS;MESOMORPHIC BEHAVIOR;BIS(4-(4-ALKOXYPHENYLIMINOMETHYL)BENZOATES);FILMS