Observation of the Smectic C -- Smectic I Critical Point
Condensed Matter
2009-10-22 v1
Abstract
We report the first observation of the smectic C--smectic I (C--I) critical point by Xray diffraction studies on a binary system. This is in confirmity with the theoretical idea of Nelson and Halperin that coupling to the molecular tilt should induce hexatic order even in the C phase and as such both C and I (a tilted hexatic phase) should have the same symmetry. The results provide evidence in support of the recent theory of Defontaines and Prost proposing a new universality class for critical points in layered systems.
Cite
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/9411076,
title = {Observation of the Smectic C -- Smectic I Critical Point},
author = {S. Krishna Prasad and D. S. Shankar Rao and S. Chandrasekhar and M. E. Neubert and J. W. Goodby},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/9411076},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
9 pages Latex and 5 postscript figures available from [email protected] on request, Phys.Rev.Lett. (in press)