Correspondence between Stroboscopic Micrographs and Spontaneous Polarization Measurements in Surface Stabilized Ferroelectric Liquid Crystal Cells

Abstract

Dynamic process of molecular reorientation in SSFLC cells is studied under a triangular wave by observing a current due to a polarization realignment and by taking stroboscopic micrographs simultaneously. There appear two peaks in the current signal, which correspond to stroboscopic observations of a uniform color change and a spotted pattern, respectively. The first peak originates from both a surface and interior molecular reorientations associated with a transition from a uniform state to a twisted one. The second peak is attributed to a subsequent change to the other uniform state caused by a molecular reorientation at another surface.