Isotropic to chiral smectic-C phase transition in chiral smectic-C elastomers

摘要

A phenomenological Landau-like theory is presented, which describes the isotropic to chiral smectic-C (I-SmC*) phase transition in chiral smectic-C (SmC*) elastomers and polymers. The coupling between elastic strain, SmC* order parameters and polarization is examined and piezoelectric and ferroelectric effects are predicted. While this phase transition is first order in low-molecular-weight SmC* materials, we show here that the order of this transition does not change in SmC* elastomers. The effect of the electric field in SmC* elastomers is examined. The temperature dependence of the anomalous heat capacity and the nonlinear dielectric effect in the isotropic phase above the I-SmC* phase transition in SmC* elastomers are calculated.