Abstract
We have measured the static dielectric constants ε∥ and ε⊥ as well as the low-frequency dispersion of εpar for mixtures of two eutectic compositions exhibiting a reentrant nematic phase over a range of concentration. The dielectric properties of a nematic mixture, whose concentration is close to the critical concentration ( C cr) at which the smectic phase appears, are found to be markedly different from those for a concentration far away from ( C cr). This can be understood as being due to an increase in the smectic like ordering in the nematic phase as the critical concentration is approached.