Molecular dynamics in the nematic, SAand SCphases of<ovl>8</ovl>S5 and<ovl>9</ovl>S5 as studied by dielectric methods

Two experimental techniques—time domain spectroscopy (TDS) and a steady state frequency method—have been used to study dielectric spectra for the isotropic, nematic, SA, SC and SY phases of two thioesters (4-n-pentylphenyl-4′-n-octyloxy-and 4′-n-nonyloxythiobenzoates (C n H2n+1 O‒C6 H4‒COS‒C6H4‒C5H11, where n = 8 and n = 9) known as 8S5 and 9S5, in the frequency range from 10 Hz to 10 GHz. In the case of 8S5 a deuteriated sample (8S5-d 28) has been used to study relaxation processes in the nematic and smectic phases.