Odd-even effects in the alignment of ferroelectric liquid crystals

Nine different poly-n-alkylterphthalamides have been synthesized, and their properties as alignment layers for chiral smectic C liquid crystals have been determined. Poly-n-hexylterphthalamide is found to be particularly well suited for one of the room temperature mixtures used in this study. The contrast between relaxed states shows an odd-even effect that can probably be explained by the crystal form of the different polymers. The tilt angle found between the relaxed states depends only on the polymer used, not on the inherent tilt of the chiral smectic C phases.