Observation of the soft mode in the Sm-C*(alpha) phase

Authors
Bourny, V Fajar, A Orihara, H
Citation
V. Bourny et al., Observation of the soft mode in the Sm-C*(alpha) phase, PHYS REV E, 62(5), 2000, pp. R5903-R5906
Citations number
12
Categorie Soggetti
Physics
Journal title
PHYSICAL REVIEW E
ISSN journal
1063651X → ACNP
Volume
62
Issue
5
Year of publication
2000
Part
A
Pages
R5903 - R5906
Database
ISI
SICI code
1063-651X(200011)62:5<R5903:OOTSMI>2.0.ZU;2-R
Abstract
We have performed the electro-optical measurements in an antiferroelectric liquid crystal 4-(1-methylheptyloxycarbonyl)phenyl 4'-octylcarbonyloxybiphe nyl-4-carboxylate (MHPOCBC) and observed the soft mode in the chiral Sm-C-a lpha(*) phase. This is a direct consequence that the Sm-C-alpha(*) phase is induced by the condensation of a tilting mode. A Landau-type theory was de veloped to analyze frequency dispersions in the second-order response and i t was found that the Sm-A-Sm-C-alpha(*) phase transition is close to a tric ritical point.