Optically isotropic ferroelectric liquid crystal phase

We show that the optically isotropic phase observed recently in a bent core liquid crystal material, 4-chlororesorcinol bis[4-(4-n-dodecyloxybenzoyloxy)benzoate], is ferroelectric. Polarizing microscopic, electric current and dynamic light scattering studies reveal that the structure in the ferroelectric phase consists of weakly interconnected orthoconic racemic smectic (SmCaPF) granules with random layer directions.