A unified Landau theory is introduced for the nematic, smectic A, and smectic C phases using the director →n for the nematic order parameter, the complex order parameter ψ for the smectic planes, and the vector →β for the smectic C dipolar order. The phase diagram is studied and a possible second-order triple point is predicted. The liquid structure factor near the nematic-smectic C phase transition is calculated and found to be in semiquantitative agreement with the x-ray experiments. All three Frank elastic constants are predicted to diverge near a second-order nematic-smectic C transition. The compressive instability near the smectic A-smectic C phase transition is explained in the present model.
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Chu et al. (1977) studied this question.
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