Ferroelectric switching in the tilted smectic phases OF R-(-)-4-n-Hexyloxybenzylidene 4'-AMINO-(2-Chloropropyl)cinnamate (HOBACPC)

The ferroelectric switching behavior of the chiral smectic C*, smectic I* and the non-chiral smectic J* phases has been investigated in the material R-(-)-4-n-hexyloxybenzylidene 4'-amino-(2-chloropropyl)cin-namate (HOBACPC). The C* and I* phases were shown to exhibit bistability in cells of less than 5 μm thickness, but at greater thicknesses the two switched states relax in a finite time. However, in the smectic J* phase which unlike the C* and I* phases does not possess a helical structure, true bistable switching was obtained in cells of up to 33 μm thickness. Furthermore, in cells where the glass plate separation was greater than 12 μm four stable states were obtained. These may correspond to the different tilted orientations of the molecules in the hexagonally close-packed structure of the phase.