OBSERVATION OF THE PHASE MODE IN AN ANTIFERROELECTRIC LIQUID-CRYSTAL BY PHOTON-CORRELATION TECHNIQUE

The temperature dependence of phase mode relaxation frequencies in the SmC(A)* phase (antiferroelectric phase), SmC-gamma* phase (ferrielectric phase) and SmC* phase (ferroelectric phase), and the dispersion of the phase mode in the SmC-gamma* phase were measured by photon correlation technique in R-MHPOBC [GRAPHICS] The relaxation frequencies of the phase modes in SmC(A)* and SmC* are almost the same and are much higher than that in the SmC-gamma* phase. The relaxation frequency gradually decreases with decreasing temperature in the SmC(A)* phase. In the SmC-gamma* phase, the phase mode shows a parabolic dispersion.