Macroscopic properties of mixed chiral smectic liquid crystals

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Abstract
Binary mixtures of chiral and non-chiral smectogens, DOBAMBC and DBHP respectively, exhibit a chiral smectic C phase in two separated concentration regions (about 0–20 and 60–100 mol per cent of DOBAMBC) and a chiral smectic I phase in the region of 60–100 mol per cent of DOBAMBC. For the S*cphase, the temperature and the concentration dependences of the spontaneous polarization, the tilt angle and the helical pitch were determined. The electric field switching properties of the S*iphase have been studied. For higher concentrations, the switching is similar to that of the S*iphase of pure DOBAMBC. When the concentration of DOBAMBC is lowered, bistable switching is observed.