Ideal Mixing of Paraelectric and Ferroelectric Nematic Phases in Liquid Crystals of Distinct Molecular Species

Soliton walls paired by polar surface interactions in a ferroelectric nematic liquid crystal

“…1d. At the bounding plates, 𝐏 and 𝐧 ̂ are parallel to the surface, as evidenced by the measurement of optical retardance Γ = 250 nm at wavelength λ =535 nm of a cell with 𝑑 = 1.35 μm, which yields the DIO birefringence Δ𝑛 = Γ/𝑑=0.19, close to the values reported by other groups 22,24 . Similar values of Δ𝑛 are obtained in homogeneous (free of DWs) regions of thicker cells, Supplementary Fig.…”

“…Unlike all listed examples, the 360 o DWs in NF are caused by interactions that are polar in the plane of the bounding surfaces. The observed 360 o pairs of DWs are also different from 180 o DWs in NF cells with an antiparallel assembly of buffed plates that preset twist deformations 13,14,24 . The coupling between the surface polarity and the bulk structures allows us to estimate the polar contribution 𝜔 ≡ 𝑊 𝑃 𝑊 𝑄 ~0.1 to the in-plane anchoring of 𝐏.…”

“…1-7. On cooling from the isotropic (I) phase, the phase sequence is I−174°C −N−82°C −SmZA−66°C −NF−34°C −Crystal, where SmZA is an antiferroelectric smectic with a partial splay 24 , geometrically reminiscent of the splay N model proposed by Mertelj et al 10 The sandwich-type cells are bounded by two glass plates with layers of polyimide PI-2555 buffed unidirectionally. The plates are assembled in a "parallel" fashion, with the two buffing directions R at the opposite plates being parallel to each other.…”

Stereoisomer effect on ferroelectric nematics: stabilization and phase behavior diversification

“…15 The obtained phase sequence is well consistent with previously-reported ones. 16 It is worth noting that the N F phase here is a metastable state compared to the Cry phase, i.e. monotropic.…”

Development of emergent ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals with highly fluorinated and rigid mesogens

“…This unidentified X LC phase is quite similar to the reported ''M2'' phase in the DIO sample. 5 Very recently, Chen et al determined the M2 phase as a unique ''smectic Z A '' phase: 21,22 an antiferroelectric phase where a splayed polarization field modulates along the smectic layer. In the adjacent layer, the polarization changes its sign.…”