Continuous transition from antiferroelectric to ferroelectric switching liquid crystalline phases in two homologous series of bent-core mesogenic dimers based on carbosilane spacer units

Abstract

Two new series of bent-core mesogenic dimers with structurally different types of carbosilane units show broad regions of polar smectic phases with a transition from antiferroelectric to surface-stabilized ferroelectric switching with increasing length of the spacer units. A non-classical organization of the molecules in SmC_sP_F layer stacks with SmC_aP_A interfaces is proposed and based on this the switching properties and the formation of dark conglomerate phases are explained.