title: Theory of the non-planar surface phase in tilted smectic films  under electric field.
abstract: We present a phenomenological theory of the non-planar tilted surface phase recently observed in freely suspended smectic films. We show that the three phases --Synclinic, Anticlinic, and non-planar (Axial)- stable in non-chiral systems, merge into a single phase in chiral systems. We discuss some experimental consequences of this specific chiral feature. We predict the effects of electric field application parallel to the smectic layers on the stability of the various zero-field surface phases, and determine the conditions for the observation of field-induced chiral Anticlinic/Synclinic crossovers. In thin films they depend only on the ratio between the bulk electroclinic coupling energy and the surface electric-field-tilt coupling.
authors.affiliation: Faculté des Sciences d'Amiens, Université de Picardie, 33 rue St Leu, 80039 Amiens, France. bruno.mettout@u-picardie.fr
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mettouta
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vasseur
mesh_terms: D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D004563:Electrochemistry; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D044367:Phase Transition; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids; D008567:Membranes, Artificial