title: Transitional subphases near the electric-field-induced phase transition to the ferroelectric phase in Se-containing chiral smectic liquid crystals observed by resonant x-ray scattering.
abstract: Resonant x-ray scattering experiments revealed transitional subphases near the electric-field-induced phase transition of a Se-containing chiral liquid crystal in a planar aligned cell geometry. In the lower-temperature range (Sm-C_{A}^{*} and three-layer periodicity Sm-C_{γ}^{*} phases), the six-layer periodicity subphase appeared with increasing electric field during the field-induced transition from Sm-C_{γ}^{*} to Sm-C^{*}. In the higher-temperature range [four-layer periodicity antiferroelectric (AF) phase], the peak positions of the three-layer satellites shifted to those of the four-layer satellites and then the satellites corresponding to the five- through seven-layer periodicity appeared in sequence. Near the AF to Sm-C_{α}^{*} phase transition temperature, the layer periodicity increased with applied field. The molecular configurations of the subphases near the field-induced transition are discussed based on the Ising, distorted clock, and perfect clock models.
authors.affiliation: Photon Factory, Institute of Materials Structure Science, High Energy Accelerator Research Organization, 1-1 Oho Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsuo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iida
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-oiwake, Sakyou-ku Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takanishi
authors.affiliation: Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Trinity College, The University of Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors.forename: Atsuo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.affiliation: Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Trinity College, The University of Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors.forename: Jagdish K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Vij