Bipolar switching of layer-tilted state in ferroelectric liquid crystals

Continuous bipolar switching of layer-tilted states in ferroelectric liquid crystals (FLC) can be explained by a collective mode including the interaction of the external field with the spontaneous polarization and the dielectric anisotropy of the FLC medium. A domain-nucleation model is more suitable to account for the switch-on starting from a quiescent state. Simple director relaxation seems adequate to explain the field-off optical decay. Experimental results on the fieldinduced fast switch-offs are also presented. © 1988, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.