Optical characterization of layer-tilted structure in surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal devices

Based on a collective switching model and a layer-tilted free-energy model with surface interactions, the authors have determined the cone, the layer-tilt, the quiescent state azimuthal angles, the director twist angles at quiescent states, and the ratio of polar to nonpolar interaction coefficients of surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal devices as a function of temperature by an optical method. Using the equation of total free energy, they have proved that only splay states, can be stabilized in layer-tilted geometry, but bistable devices can still be obtained. The observation of stable and quasi-stable quiescent states is explained by introducing a nonequivalent polar surface interaction at both surfaces in the free-energy model.