Optical Properties of A Phase in Phase Oriented Samples

We describe techniques to obtain well aligned samples of the newly discovered A* phase sup 1, sup 2, which possesses a structure characteristic of both smectic and cholesteric liquid crystals. Optical examination of these samples reveals that the structure of these materials is quite different from the corresponding A phase, which is produced by the non-chiral analogue. For example on treated surfaces which normally produce homogeneous alignment, it is found that the A* phase exhibits characteristics of a well aligned cholesteric liquid crystal.