Simulated carrier transport in smectic mesophase and its comparison with experimental result

We have investigated charge carrier transport in the smectic mesophases of a liquid crystal, i.e., a 2-phenylnaphthalene derivative, by computational Monte Carlo simulation and time-of-flight experiments. The unique carrier transport properties characterized by field-independent high mobility over 10(-3) cm(2)/V s observed is well explained by a two-dimensional hopping model with a Gaussian distribution of density of states. The deviation of Gaussian distribution, small sigma, is determined to be 60 meV in the smectic B phase. This model is proven to be valid by demonstrating a predicted Poole-Frenkel-type behavior at the high electric-field region. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.