Effect of the concentration of chiral compound on the photorefractive effect of flexoelectric smectic liquid crystal blends
Takeo Sasaki, Takuya Hara, Maho Hirakawa, Kaita Suzuki, Khoa V. Le, Yumiko Naka
Abstract
The photorefractive effect of flexoelectric smectic liquid crystal blends was investigated. Smectic liquid crystal blends, composed of smectic-C liquid crystals, photoconductive chiral compounds and a sensitizer, are known to exhibit a large photorefractive effect. The chiral compound plays a critical role in the exhibition of large photorefractivity in smectic liquid crystals. The concentration of the chiral compound was varied and the photorefractive properties of the liquid crystal blend were examined. It was found that smectic-C liquid crystals containing small amounts of a chiral compound show a large photorefractivity even though they do not possess spontaneous polarizations.