Optical activity and linear electrooptic response in the paraelectric subphase of an achiral ferroelectric nematic compound.

Polarizing optical microscopy and electro optics are used to study a compound with constituent non-chiral molecules, DIO, known to exhibit three nematic phases, namely N, Nx and ferronematic NF. N is found to be a conventional nematic but shows two additional unusual features: the presence of optically active domains and a linear electro optic response to the applied signal. The optical activity is explained by a segregation of the stable helical conformers of the opposite sense; these preferring to form domains with an optical rotation of ±4°/μm. This is the first example of helical segregation observed in non-chiral molecules in the high temperature nematic phase. Unlike the ordinary nematic liquid crystalline material, this compound shows a linear electro optical response to the applied electric field, thereby confirming the polar nature of this phase. NF is the ferroelectric nematic as reported previously. The strong polar azimuthal surface interaction energy in the NF phase stabilises a homogeneous structure in planar-aligned cells that are rubbed parallel and gives a twisted structure in cells rubbed antiparallel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]