https://doi.org/10.1007/s100510050285
Polymorphism and chevron layer structure of an antiferroelectric liquid crystal studied by X-ray diffraction
1
Laboratoire de Dynamique et Structure des Matériaux Moléculaires,
Université de Lille 1, 59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex, France
2
Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal,
avenue A. Schweitzer, 33600 Pessac, France
Corresponding author: a cluzeau@lip5rx.univ-lille1.fr
Received:
13
November
1996
Revised:
19
January
1997
Accepted:
30
January
1998
Published online: 15 May 1998
We report X-ray diffraction experiments performed on an antiferroelectric compound
exhibiting a very rich polymorphism (). The
structural study of the unknown phases only allows us to exclude some
phenomenological models. The use of oriented planar samples prepared between solid
glass plates generate by cooling from the
phase a chevron structure of tilted layers
already well characterized for the
phase. The extensive analysis of the evolution of
the chevron structure through the numerous smectic-smectic phase transitions provides
some original information in three distinct areas: fundamental data on the important
physical parameters in the chevron structure formation, detection of the
smectic-smectic phases transition by small change of the chevron structure, and information on
the local molecular order induced by the alignment layer (interaction with a rubbed
polymer).
PACS: 78.70.Ck – X-ray scattering / 61.30.Jf – Defects in liquid crystals / 64.70.Md – Transitions in liquid crystals
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 1998