Molecular-statistical approach to a behavior of ferroelectric, antiferroelectric and ferrielectric smectic phases in the electric field

Abstract

The fundamental theoretical approach derived in A.V. Emelyanenko et al., Phys. Rev. E 74, 011705 (2006) is complemented by a consideration of the influence of the homogeneous electric field on Sm-CA*, biaxial intermediate phases, and Sm-C*. The crucial role of the induced polarization is investigated for the first time. The evolution of any tilted smectic phase in the electric field is found to meet the two thresholds. The first threshold corresponds to the unwinding process, and the second one corresponds to the phase transition into the bi-domain structure of Sm-C*, where the tilt plane has some contribution either along or against the electric field, while the average direction may still be perpendicular to the electric field. The tilt plane in the monodomain (conventional) structure preceding the second threshold is the same in every unwound phase, and is perpendicular to the electric field. No 3D distortion in Sm-CA* is predicted on application of the electric field. The entire electric-field-temperature phase diagrams including the possibility of existence of the maximal number of tilted smectic phases are plotted and compared with the experimental ones. The numerical calculations in the framework of this fundamental study are done with help of AFLC Phase Diagram Plotter software developed by the author and available at his web page.