A commercially important ferroelectric liquid crystal, SCE13, is characteri
zed in terms of the parameters of Landau-de Gennes mean field theory and el
astic continuum theory. A simple model for the alignment of smectic C (SmC)
liquid crystals in cells whose surfaces are treated to cause homeotropic a
lignment is presented. The expected temperature dependence of the director
alignment structures is discussed. Data obtained using half-leaky guided mo
de techniques are presented in support of this model.