title: Molecular orientation arrangements in the smectic-C* variant liquid-crystal phases.
abstract: Recent experiments have identified three-layer and four-layer distorted helical structures in the smectic liquid-crystal phases Sm C*(FI1) and Sm C*(FI2), respectively. However, no theories have explained the existence of all these phases. A discrete phenomenological model of the free-energy is analyzed and found to predict the stability of distorted three-layer and four-layer structures, as well as simple helical solutions in smectic liquid crystals. A simple physical picture is provided to explain the stability of the phases exhibiting distorted helical structures.
authors.affiliation: School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.forename: X F
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cady
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Huang