Smectic Layer Reorientation Induced by AC Field

We have studied electro-optic properties and layer deformations in the smectic phases of 4-(6ethoxy-l-trifluoromethyl-hexyloxycarbonyl)-phenyl-4-Nonyloxybiphenyl-4-carboxylat ( TFMEOHPNBC ) having fluorine attached to one of its benzene rings by electro-optical and small angle x-ray scattering techniques. 3 and 5${\mu}m$ thick test cells were prepared using beryllium plates to minimize x-ray beam absorption. Layer structure and orientation was studied while changing the amplitude and frequency of the applied electric field as a function of cell temperature. We observed that the chevron layer tilt angle is reduced and layer spacing is increased as stabilizing in antiferroelectric phase. This result is extraordinary that there is dimerization in antiferroelectric phase. We also found that there is a threshold electric field that changes the chevron structure to bookshelf structure. This threshold electric field depends on the frequency and temperature as shown in Fig.1. We will discuss the dynamics of layer orientation as determined from the x-ray, electro-optic and dielectric spectroscopy.