title: Anomalous softening of order parameter fluctuations at the smectic-A to -C* transition in a siloxane-substituted chiral liquid crystal.
abstract: Unconventional softening of order-parameter fluctuations is observed at the smectic-A to smectic-C* phase transition in a chiral liquid crystal possessing multiple siloxane substituents on its hydrocarbon chains. Together with an optical "stripe" texture detected above the transition, the atypical dynamics can be explained by the pretransitional development within the smectic layers of a modulated state of the order parameter. Conventional soft-mode behavior is restored when the degree of chain substitution is reduced.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Konovalov
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Naciri
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Ratna
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sprunt