Discovery of a novel smectic-C{*} liquid-crystal phase with six-layer periodicity.
We report the discovery of a new smectic-C{*} liquid-crystal phase with six-layer periodicity by resonant x-ray diffraction. Upon cooling, the new phase appears between the SmC{alpha}{*} phase having a helical structure and the SmC{d4}{*} phase with four-layer periodicity. This SmC{d6}{*} phase was identified in two mixtures which have an unusual reversed SmC{d4}{*}-SmC{*} phase sequence. The SmC{d6}{*} phase shows a distorted clock structure. Three theoretical models have predicted the existence of a six-layer phase. However, our experimental findings are not consistent with the theories.
Wang
Shun
S
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
Pan
Lidong
L
Pindak
R
R
Liu
Z Q
ZQ
Nguyen
H T
HT
Huang
C C
CC