The long range scientific goals of this research are to increase the understanding of the correlation of molecular structure with physical properties of ferroelectric liquid crystal phases and to test strategies for the design of new materials. The practical goal is the invention of new materials with properties suited for incorporation into commercial shutters and large-area matrix displays. Ferroelectric smectic C liquid crystals have been shown to exhibit high speed, multistate electro-optic and display device applications, particularly when incorporated into the surface stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal light valve. The best materials for use in such devices would have a high ferroelectric polarization and low orientational viscosity, affording a fast electro-optic response time, broad temperature range, and excellent chemical stability. No materials currently available possess the required speed, temperature range, and stability to allow fabrication of large area multiplexed arrays operating at video rates with gray scale. This work will be directed toward developing materials to satisfy these needs. Demonstrating the concept "steric coupling" of stereocenters in the tail with orientation of substituted aromatic rings in the core to produce a family of crystals with extremely high polarization and low viscosity for use in the above stated high speed applications.
