Eur. Phys. J. E (2004) 14: 49-54
https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2003-10090-x

Theory of the incommensurate smectic-A phases in dimesogenic liquid crystals

¹ Groupe Structure des Matériaux Sous Conditions Extrêmes, SNBL/ESRF, P.O. Box 220, 38043, Grenoble, France
² LPTM, 33 rue St Leu, 80039, Amiens, France
³ Department of Physics, Kent State University, 44242, Kent, OH, USA

^* e-mail: pierre.toledano@wanadoo.fr

Received: 28 January 2004
Published online: 16 June 2004

Abstract

A mechanism assuming a mismatch between the basic smectic periodicity and the amplitude and phase modulations periods of the mass density wave order parameter is proposed, for describing the incommensurate smectic-A structure found in dimesogenic liquid crystals. The different sequences of phases found in this family of compounds are described theoretically.