Orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystals containing biphenyl, terphenyl, or naphthyl mesogenic unit

Three homologous series of orthoconic (45 degree tilt) antiferroelectric liquid crystals containing either naphthyl or terphenyl groups as mesogenic unit have been synthesized and their mesomorphic behaviour investigated by DSC and polarized light microscopy, and their properties discussed. X-ray diffraction studies have shown the presence of a de Vries-type smectic A phase which does not exhibit a layer shrinkage on transition to the ferroelectric smectic C phase. Mixtures of the new materials have been formulated and their electro-optical properties investigated for their use in surface stabilized orthoconic antiferroelectric liquid crystal (SSOAFLC) devices