Strong effect of the interface layers on the electro-optic response of ferroelectric liquid crystals

Due to the fixed molecular orientations on the boundaries of uniformly aligned surface stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystals (SSFLCs), nonuniform molecular layers near the boundaries are formed during the switching in response to a monopolar electric-field pulse. The transient electro-optic response is shown to be strongly influenced by these interface layers. High sensitivity to the wavelength of light arises that explains the colour variations, and lack of extinction usually observed in uniform SSFLCs under an applied electric field.