Novel dielectric behavior of ferroelectric liquid crystals and high-field effects

Extremely large spontaneous polarization (>10/sup -7/ C/cm/sup 2/) and permittivity (>10000) are observed in appropriately designed ferroelectric liquid crystals. The permittivity and its temperature dependence are found to be influenced strongly by the electric field and a wall effect. These results are discussed in terms of a phenomenological thermodynamic theory. New applications of ferroelectric liquid crystals are proposed.<
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