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Article Dans Une Revue Journal de Physique II Année : 1994

Theory of longitudinal ferroelectric smectics

Jacques Prost
R. Bruinsma
  • Fonction : Auteur
F. Tournilhac

Résumé

Recently, it was discovered that a-chiral smectic layers can undergo a phase transition into a polar smectic. The new phase is fundamentally different from that of the existing chiral Sm-C* ferroelectrics. In this paper we examine the underlying mechanism responsible for the new form of ferroelectricity. A Landau theory is presented to discuss the competition between ferroelectricity and other forms of ordering such as anti-ferroelectricity. An effective free energy is constructed to describe the coupling between layer undulations and the polarizability of the sample. We find that in the new phase the Landau-Peierls instability is absent and that second sound can propagate along the layers. Our considerations call for a number of experiments which we believe are crucial for a clarification of the true nature of the observed phases.

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jpa-00247947 , version 1 (04-02-2008)

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Jacques Prost, R. Bruinsma, F. Tournilhac. Theory of longitudinal ferroelectric smectics. Journal de Physique II, 1994, 4 (1), pp.169-187. ⟨10.1051/jp2:1994122⟩. ⟨jpa-00247947⟩

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