Alignment of Nematic MBBA on the Cleavage Surface of Ferroelectric TGS

The alignments of molecules of nematic liquid crystal MBBA on the ferroelectric antiparallel domain revealed on the cleavage surface of TGS are investigated using a polarizing microscope. On the positive domain, the alignment is one in which the directors are in a plane nearly perpendicular to the (101) plane of the TGS and are titled at about 55° to the TGS surface. On the negative domain, the alignment is homogeneous with the directors nearly perpendicular to the (001) plane.