Smectic layer orientation during switching of surface stabilized cells filled with fluorinated ferroelectric liquid crystals

X‐ray diffraction study of smectic‐C* layer orientation in surface stabilized cells filled with fluorinated ferroelectric liquid crystals show chevron layer structure. The chevrons remain unperturbed up to a field of 12.5 × 106 V/m while optical observations suggest uniform switching at low fields, and nucleation and growth mediated switching at high‐field strengths.