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Dielectric study of the modulated smectic C*‐uniform smectic C transition in a magnetic field
Author(s) -
Muševič I.,
Žekš B.,
Blinc R.,
Rasing Th.,
Wyder P.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/pssb.2221190235
Subject(s) - condensed matter physics , dielectric , materials science , hysteresis , liquid crystal , helix (gastropod) , phase transition , drop (telecommunication) , magnetic field , physics , quantum mechanics , ecology , telecommunications , optoelectronics , snail , computer science , biology
The in‐plane component of the dielectric constant of chiral smectic p‐decyloxybenzilidene‐p'‐amino‐2‐methylbutyl cinnamate is measured as a function of temperature and magnetic field applied parallel to the smectic layers. The transition from the modulated smectic C* to the uniform smectic C phase is accompanied by a drop in the dielectric constant in analogy to the incommensurate‐commensurate transition in ferroelectrics. The C*‐C transition line exhibits a large hysteresis and the critical field for the unwinding of the helix increases with decreasing temperature except close to the λ‐line. The obtained results are in qualitative disagreement with the predictions of the Landau‐de Gennes model and seem to suggest a different mechanism for the unwinding of the smectic C* helix.