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Molecular theory of the tilting transition in smectic liquid crystals with weak layer contraction and diffused cone orientational distribution

Mikhail Osipov1 and Grzegorz Pająk2,1

  • 1Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Strathclyde, Livingstone Tower, Richmond Street, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
  • 2Marian Smoluchowski Institute of Physics, Department of Statistical Physics and Mark Kac Center for Complex Systems Research, Jagiellonian University, Reymonta 4, Kraków, Poland

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Phys. Rev. E 85, 021701 – Published 13 February, 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.85.021701

Abstract

A molecular field theory of the smectic-A−smectic-C transition has been developed for smectics with a diffused cone orientational distribution of molecules (volcano-like distribution function) in the smectic-A phase and anomalously weak layer contraction in the smectic-C phase. Orientational order parameters and smectic layer spacing have been calculated numerically as functions of temperature and compared with the results obtained using a model with a standard Maier-Saupe–type distribution function that has been considered before. A molecular theory of the electroclinic effect in chiral smectics has also been developed using the recently proposed simple biaxial interaction potential. A comparison has been made between the absolute values and temperature variations of the electroclinic coefficient obtained using the volcano model, the model with Maier-Saupe–type distribution, and the orthodox cone model proposed by de Vries. It has been shown that the model with a conventional “sugar loaf” type orientational distribution function in the smectic-A phase is sufficient to describe the main properties of smectics with anomalously weak layer contraction.

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Phys. Rev. E 85, 021701– Published 13 February, 2012
  • Received 13 December 2011

©2012 American Physical Society

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