Optical reflectivity and ellipsometry studies of the Sm-C-alpha* phase

Both optical reflectivity and ellipsometry data obtained from freestanding films in the Sm-C-alpha* phase of one liquid-crystal compound display chara cteristic oscillations as a function of temperature. A model for the film c onsisting of surface anticlinic layers and an interior short-pitched azimut hal helix provides an excellent description of our data. Our results show a linear evolution with temperature of the relative interlayer azimuthal ang le. The data enable us to place an upper bound on the degree of distortion in the short-pitched helix.