On the Chevron Structure in Compressible SmC*Phases

Some numerical solutions corresponding to the chevron layer structure in compressible SmC * phases are obtained in terms of the torque balance equations on the basis of a phenomenological elastic free energy including the layer compression energy as well as the c -director deformation energy. Similar to the previously derived analytical solution (M. Nakagawa: Mol. Cryst. & Liq. Cryst. 174 (1989) 65), a soliton-like solution is found to exist as an equilibrium state in SmC * phase. In addition the electric field effect on the layer structure and the c -director configuration in the chevrons is presented taking account of the polarization electric field induced by the polarization charge.