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We present a Landau theory of the smectic A to helicoidal smectic C phase transition which has recently been discovered. We analyze qualitatively the molecular interactions between chiral molecules in order to explain the appearance of a twisted smectic C phase. Using an expansion of the free energy, we show how a second-order transition takes place. We also study the properties of the system near the phase change: (i) the behavior of the dielectric susceptibility and piezoelectric coefficient; (ii) the transition to a regular smectic C phase by means of an electric field. Comparison is made with the available experimental results.
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Michelson et al. (1977) studied this question.
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