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

Abstract

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.