A comparative dielectric dispersion study of the soft mode dynamics of monomeric FLC compounds and the corresponding siloxane copolymers is presented. The results show that although the relaxation frequency is two orders of magnitude smaller for the copolymer, the dielectric strength remains the...

Using Saupe's continuum theory we discuss the feasibility of determining some of the twelve curvature elastic constants of an orthorhombic nematic by studying the effects of external magnetic and electric fields applied in different sample geometries.