Smectic Layer Switching by an Electric Field in Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Cells

Switching between two different smectic layer structures, chevron and bookshelf geometries, was observed for the first time in ferroelectric liquid crystal cells. In the absence of an electric field, a chevron layer structure is formed, as in a usual smectic C * phase. An electric field induces layer switching to a bookshelf geometry with a sharp DC threshold. Accompanying the layer switching, the projection of the director onto glass plates changes from the smectic layer normal to one of the uniform states when an electric field is applied. This optical change is equivalent to what is recognized as tristable switching.