Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals Science and Technology. Section A. Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals, Vol.243, 231-298, 1994
Chirality and Frustration in Ordered Fluids
Chirality in liquid crystal systems is a complex and sometimes difficult concept to understand and appreciate. In this article we review some of the reduced symmetry aspects of calamitic liquid crystal phases with reference to point symmetry, space symmetry, and helicity. We utilize these concepts in the discussion of new results obtained on Twist Grain Boundary phases, inversions in chiral dependent properties such as the helicity in cholesteric and smectic C* phases and the spontaneous polarization in ferroelectric liquid crystals, and antiferroelectric behaviour in low molar mass systems. Our observations suggest that many novel effects found in chiral liquid crystals are a result of conflicts between the effects of reduced symmetry and the desire to form normal liquid-crystalline structures, i.e., a form of frustration exists.
Keywords:FERROELECTRIC LIQUID-CRYSTAL;SPONTANEOUS POLARIZATION DIRECTION;HELICAL TWIST SENSE;SMECTIC-A PHASES;ANTIFERROELECTRIC STRUCTURE;AXIAL CHIRALITY;TRANSITION;INVERSION;POLYMERS;DESIGN