Dielectric Properties of HDOBAMBC Close to the Smectic A–Chiral Smectic C (AC*) Transition

Abstract

The temperature dependence of the dielectric susceptibility χ_g is recalculated by making the elastic modulus K temperature dependent for the chiral smectic C phase in HDOBAMBC. For this calculation, the experimental data for the spontaneous polarization P_S, tilt angle θ and the helical pitch ρ are used from literature close to the AC* transition in HDOBAMBC. The temperature dependences of the wave vector of the helical modulation q, the elastic free energy F and the critical electric field E_C are also calculated by using the temperature dependent elastic modulus K for the chiral smectic C phase close to the AC* transition in this ferroelectric liquid crystal.

It is found that the critical behaviors of the dielectric susceptibility χ_g, the helical modulation q, elastic free energy F and the electric field E_C, are modified as the temperature dependence of the elastic modulus K is taken into account. Predictions given here can be compared with the experimental measurement in the chiral smectic phase close to the AC* transition in HDOBAMBC.

Keywords:

• Dielectrics
• smectic A–smectic C transition
• HDOBAMBC