title: Field-induced transitions between multilayer phases of polar smectic liquid crystals.
abstract: Recently Wang et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 027801 (2010)] reported the discovery of a novel multilayer phase in polar liquid crystals. The phase was unambiguously assigned to a six-layer antiferroelectric structure (Sm-C(d6)(*)) by resonant x-ray diffraction. This discovery lead to essential progress in understanding the nature of polar phases. However, more recently, Chandani et al. [Liq. Cryst. 38, 663 (2011)] in the same material clearly identified the novel phase as a ferrielectric five-layer structure (Sm-C(d5)(*)) by the electric-field-induced birefringence. This contradiction seemed to be a mystery. In this paper we show that the two experiments are in agreement. Phenomenological Landau theory of the phase transitions shows that both phases (Sm-C(d6)(*) and Sm-C(d5)(*)) exist and transform into each other in a relatively low electric field.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Solid State Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142432 Chernogolovka, Moscow Region, Russia.
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Dolganov
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Zhilin
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Dolganov
authors.forename: E I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Kats