- Rapid Communication
- Access by Xinjiang University
Field-induced transitions between multilayer phases of polar smectic liquid crystals
Phys. Rev. E 86, 020701(R) – Published 15 August, 2012
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.86.020701
Abstract
Recently Wang et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 027801 (2010)] reported the discovery of a novel multilayer phase in polar liquid crystals. The phase was unambiguously assigned to a six-layer antiferroelectric structure (Sm-) by resonant x-ray diffraction. This discovery lead to essential progress in understanding the nature of polar phases. However, more recently, Chandani et al. [Liq. Cryst. 38, 663 (2011)] in the same material clearly identified the novel phase as a ferrielectric five-layer structure (Sm-) by the electric-field-induced birefringence. This contradiction seemed to be a mystery. In this paper we show that the two experiments are in agreement. Phenomenological Landau theory of the phase transitions shows that both phases (Sm- and Sm-) exist and transform into each other in a relatively low electric field.
Article Text
References (22)
- S. Wang, L. D. Pan, R. Pindak, Z. Q. Liu, H. T. Nguyen, and C. C. Huang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 027801 (2010).
- A. Fukuda, Y. Takanishi, T. Isozaki, K. Ishikawa, and H. Takezoe, J. Mater. Chem. 4, 997 (1994).
- M. Čepič and B. Žekš, Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst. 263, 61 (1995).
- A. Roy and N. V. Madhusudana, Eur. Phys. J. E 1, 319 (2000).
- M. Gorkunov, S. Pikin, and W. Haase, JETP Lett. 72, 81 (2000).
- M. Čepič and B. Žekš, Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 085501 (2001).
- P. V. Dolganov, V. M. Zhilin, V. E. Dmitrienko, and E. I. Kats, Pis'ma Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz. 76, 579 (2002) [JETP Lett. 76, 498 (2002)].
- P. V. Dolganov, V. M. Zhilin, V. K. Dolganov, and E. I. Kats, Phys. Rev. E 67, 041716 (2003).
- A. V. Emelyanenko and M. A. Osipov, Phys. Rev. E 68, 051703 (2003).
- M. B. Hamaneh and P. L. Taylor, Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 167801 (2004).
- M. B. Hamaneh and P. L. Taylor, Phys. Rev. E 72, 021706 (2005).
- M. Koroishi, M. Torikai, and M. Yamashita, Ferroelectrics 344, 125 (2006).
- P. G. de Gennes and J. Prost, The Physics of Liquid Crystals (Clarendon, Oxford, 1994).
- H. Takezoe, E. Gorecka, and M. Čepič, Rev. Mod. Phys. 82, 897 (2010).
- We denote smectic phases following the notation of Wang et al. [1]. The number in the index denotes the period of the structure. The Sm- phase was also named Sm- or Sm- in previous publications.
- L.-D. Pan, P. Barois, R. Pindak, Z. Q. Liu, B. K. McCoy, and C. C. Huang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 037801 (2012).
- P. V. Dolganov, V. M. Zhilin, V. K. Dolganov, and E. I. Kats, Phys. Rev. E 82, 040701(R) (2010).
- P. V. Dolganov, V. M. Zhilin, V. K. Dolganov, and E. I. Kats, Phys. Rev. E 83, 061705 (2011).
- A. D. L. Chandani, A. Fukuda, S. Kumar, and J. K. Vij, Liq. Cryst. 38, 663 (2011).
- K. L. Sandhya, J. K. Vij, A. Fukuda, and A. V. Emelyanenko, Liq. Cryst. 36, 1101 (2009).
- N. Vaupotič and M. Čepič, Phys. Rev. E 71, 041701 (2005).
- L. S. Hirst, S. J. Watson, H. F. Gleeson, P. Cluzeau, P. Barois, R. Pindak, J. Pitney, A. Cady, P. M. Johnson, C. C. Huang, A.-M. Levelut, G. Srajer, J. Pollmann, W. Caliebe, A. Seed, M. R. Herbert, J. W. Goodby, and M. Hird, Phys. Rev. E 65, 041705 (2002).