We have studied the effect of electric fields on the blue phase III (BPIII) of chiral liquid crystals. A temperature–electric-field phase diagram is presented and the behavior of the BPIII selective reflections over this diagram is shown. The selective reflection consists of a broad peak situated on a sloping background; we argue that the background may be a remnant of additional structure at lower wavelength. A comparison of our data with three models for BPIII structure is made.

• Received 6 November 1987

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.37.4001