Abstract

We present a theoretical study of the optical properties of a ferroelectric SmC^* liquid crystal during the unwinding by an external magnetic field perpendicular to the helix axis. We used the 4 × 4 characteristic matrix method to calculate the selective reflection. Contrary to the case of the cholesteric, the unwinding process is not unique, but depends on the temperature. We present the results in the two following cases: very near T_c (the SmA–SmC^* transition temperature) and far from T_c, for which analytic solutions exist.

© 1988 Optical Society of America