Freely Suspended Ferroelectric Liquid-Crystal Films: Absolute Measurements of Polarization, Elastic Constants, and Viscosities

The quenching by an electric field of molecular-orientation fluctuations in freely suspended ferroelectric smectic-$C$ films has been studied by light scattering, allowing absolute measurements of polarization, elastic constants, and viscosities. Evidence is presented to demonstrate surface contributions to Frank elasticity and to show that Frank elasticity is nonlocal.