Liquid crystals for magneticians ferroelectric liquid crystals

The rapid development of research on the physics of liquid crystals in recent years is largely due to the application of knowledge, ideas, and experimental techniques from various aspects of solid state physics to these unusual materials. For those studying phase changes, response to external fields, and defect structures in liquid crystals, analogies with magnetic materials have been especially stimulating. In turn, knowledge about liquid crystals has advanced to the point at which these analogies may serve to stimulate the thinking of magneticians as well. One of the more remarkable cases in point is that of the recently discovered ferroelectric liquid crystals. Although the fundamental molecular properties that result in ferroelectric phases are totally different from those of the common crystalline ferroelectrics, and of course even further from magnetic materials, many of the macroscopic properties of these materials are closely analogous to those of other ferroelectrics, and to properties of ferromagnetic materials as well.