Temperature and wave vector dependence of the eigenfrequencies of the Goldstone mode and the soft mode of ferroelectric SmC* liquid crystals

Abstract

Using the generalized Landau model (Phys. Rev. A, 36, 1484 (1987)), the temperature and wave vector dependence of the eigenfrequencies of the Goldstone mode and the soft mode of ferroelectric SmC* liquid crystals is calculated. The results of the calculations are compared with existing experimental data and it is showed that the qualitative agreement between theory and experiment is good. It is discussed how the measurement of the dispersion of the eigenfrequencies can be used as an indirect method of measuring the pitch of the helix.