Interaction potentials and free energies for ferroelectric liquid crystals in the model of polar non-uniaxial molecules

Abstract

The possible forms of the model interaction potentials are proposed for rigid polar non-uniaxial molecules with the molecular dipole moment making an arbitrary angle with the molecule's long axis. The molecule orientation is described by the direction of two molecular axes: its dipole moment and the long axis. The intermolecular potentials dependent on both molecular axes orientations are considered. The simple model interaction potentials between chiral molecules are used. It is shown that the form of the interaction potential determines the set of the relevant order parameters of the system. The free energy is calculated in the Landau expansion form in terms of the relevant order parameters.