Submicrosecond bistable electro-optic switching in liquid crystals

Abstract
Ferroelectric smectic C (FSC) liquid crystals are used in a simple new geometry that allows the spontaneous formation of either of two surface‐stabilized smectic C monodomains of opposite ferroelectric polarization. These domains are separated by well‐defined walls which may be manipulated with an applied electric field. The resulting electro‐optic effects exhibit a unique combination of properties: microsecond dynamics, threshold behavior, symmetric bistability, and a large electro‐optic response.