Surface orientation transitions in surface stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal structures

We provide direct evidence, using simultaneously total internal reflection and polarized optical microscopy, for the existence of two interface stabilized director n-polarization P orientation states at a ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC)-solid interface. The states are separated by a first-order orientation transition, having n nearly parallel to the surface, opposite orientations of the component of P normal to the surface, with the state having P directed into the FLC being of lower energy. Any unswitched layer is less than 20 Å in thickness.