Pitch measurements on chiral smectic liquid crystals in the C*, Ca* and Cγ* phases

Abstract
The pitch and handedness of the helix have been measured in three substances possessing the helical C*, Cy* and Ca* phases. A comparison between measurements on free-standing films and conventional samples between glass plates is made, showing a smearing-out influence from the glass surfaces in the second case. Hence the freestanding film gives a closer approximation to the intrinsic bulk property.