Antiferroelectricity of a Chiral Smectic Liquid Crystal Having Three Isolated Phenyl Rings in the Core

Phase sequence and helicoidal structure of a chiral smectic liquid crystal and its binary mixtures with a well-known antiferroelectric liquid crystal MHPOBC were studied by dielectric electro-optic and circular dichroism measurements. Structural difference between this material and MHPOBC is an ester group introduced into the biphenyl core. The fundamental phases of antiferroelectric liquid crystals, SmC* and SmCA*, do not appear in this pure material, but, by doping a small amount of MHPOBC, SmCA* is stabilized in a wide temperature range. This material may be categorized as a potential antiferroelectric liquid crystal.