DOI: 10.1140/epje/i2002-10058-4
Surface effects in thin films of antiferroelectric smectic liquid crystals in terms of the short-pitch long-pitch competition model
M. Gorkunov and S. PikinInstitute of Crystallography Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninski prosp. 59, 117333 Moscow, Russia mgorkoun@uos.de
(Received 23 May 2002 / Published online: 22 November 2002)
Abstract
A theoretical model based on the competition between short-pitch and long-pitch
types of helical order is developed for thin films of
antiferroelectric smectic liquid crystals. In the case of the "bookshelf"
structure of the film and non-polar surfaces, subsurface perturbations of
the ordering are found out analytically. Corresponding contributions to the
free energies of the different phases are analysed. The possibility of
sufficient influence of the boundaries on phase sequences is predicted even
in the case of weak surface anchoring. A consistent explanation of the
controversial experimental information is given; further ways of
experimental justification of the model assumptions are discussed.
64.70.Md - Transitions in liquid crystals.
68.60.-p - Physical properties of thin films, nonelectronic.
77.80.-e - Ferroelectricity and antiferroelectricity.
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag 2002
