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The European Physical Journal B
ISSN: 1434-6028 (printed version)
ISSN: 1434-6036 (electronic version)
Abstract Volume 2 Issue 1 (1998) pp 51-56
Surface effects in field-induced smectic transitions
P. Galatola (1) (a), M. Zelazna (1) (b), I. Lelidis (2)
(1) Dipartimento di Fisica and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica della Materia, Politecnico di Torino,
Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy
(2) Département de Physique, Institut de Génie Atomique, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne,
1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
Received: 25 August 1997 / Accepted: 23 January 1998
Abstract: We study the surface behavior of a semi-infinite smectogenic sample bounded by a solid wall, in the presence of an external electric field. Our analysis is performed in the framework of a Landau-de Gennes theory. For the sake of simplicity, we consider only the case in which, in the absence of field and surfaces, a direct isotropic to smectic-A transition occurs, while in the presence of the electric field a nonspontaneous nematic phase appears. Two new surface phases are identified, namely a parasmectic and a surface-induced smectic phase. The shifts in the transition temperatures and the critical behavior of the surface states are analyzed.
PACS. 64.70.Md Transition in liquid crystals - 68.35.Md Surface energy; thermodynamics properties - 64.10.+h General theory of equations of state and phase equilibria
(a) email: paolo@iris.polito.it
(b) On leave from Zaklad Fizyki Statystycznej, Instytut Fizyki, Uniwersytet Jagiellonski, ul. Reymonta 4, Kraków, Poland.
Online publication: April 21, 1998
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