Eur. Phys. J. B 12, 277-284 (1999)
https://doi.org/10.1007/s100510051005

Shearing of planar smectic C chevrons

Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PJ, UK

Corresponding author: ^a nigel.mottram@eng.ox.ac.uk

Received: 28 December 1998
Revised: 8 April 1999
Published online: 15 November 1999

Abstract

We have theoretically investigated chevron formation in smectic C materials and the transformation of this chevron structure to a tilted layer structure as the cell is sheared. We find a series of transition temperatures at which the behaviour of the cell critically changes. As the cell is cooled from the smectic A phase past the first critical temperature there is a second order transition which forms two tilted layer states with lower energy than the smectic A bookshelf structure. Although these low energy tilted structures exist the bookshelf structure is the stable state for zero shear. However, upon further cooling this bookshelf structure becomes unstable to the formation of a chevron state. Now when the cell is sheared the chevron structure smoothly transforms into the tilted layer structure. As each further critical temperature is passed an additional multiple chevron solution is formed which although a high energy, unstable state may be observed transiently. For sufficiently low temperatures the transition from chevron to tilted layer becomes first order. This first order transition occurs as the chevron interface merges with the surface alignment region to form the tilted layer structure.