Eur. Phys. J. E (2004) 14: 43-47
https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2004-10004-6

Behavior of the layer compression modulus as a function of frequency near the nematic-smectic-A and re-entrant nematic-smectic-A phase transitions

Laboratoire de Dynamique des Fluides Complexes, UMR no. 7506, ULP-CNRS, Université Louis Pasteur, 4 rue Blaise Pascal, F-67070, Strasbourg Cedex, France

^* e-mail: martinot@fresnel.u-strasbg.fr

Received: 31 March 2004
Published online: 3 June 2004

Abstract

A progressive cross-over of the layer compression modulus B from a simple power law behavior to a saturation behavior when the frequency is increased from 1 Hz to Hz is observed for the first time near the nematic-smectic-A and the re-entrant nematic-smectic-A phase transitions of a mixture of 4-cyano-4’-(n-hexyloxy)biphenyl and 4-cyano-4’-(n-octyloxy)biphenyl (6OCB-8OCB). This result shows that the saturation of B determined by second sound near the nematic-smectic-A phase transition of a similar mixture is dynamic in nature, and cannot be associated with the static saturation effect predicted by the dislocation loop model, as proposed previously.