TRANSIENT LIGHT-SCATTERING IN ANTIFERROELECTRIC LIQUID-CRYSTAL

Transient light scattering has been observed for the first time in the antiferroelectric liquid crystal. The scattering depends on the frequency of the applied triangular wave. Two dips in the light transmission are observed at low frequency. These dips are due to the light scattering in the stripe domains at the ferroelectric-antiferroelectric phase transition. As frequency increases, a new sharp transmission dip appears in addition to those dips. To clarify the origins of these dips, the simultaneous measurement of transmission change and polarization reversal current has been carried out. It is found that the sharp dip is due to transient light scattering caused by switching between two ferroelectric uniform states.