Application of thermodynamic model to study the phase transition properties of surface stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystals

Based on a thermodynamic model, as developed by us [Singh A, Singh S. Thermodynamic model for the description of smectic C* and smectic A-smectic C* phase transition properties. Phase Transit. 2010;83:205-222; Singh S, Singh S. Thermodynamic model for the investigation of phase transition properties of homologous series of nAL and nHL ferroicmesogens. Phase Transit. 2014;87:427-437], we have studied relative temperature dependences of spontaneous polarization and tilt angle for three members C10, C11 and C12 of a homologous series, biphenyl alkyloxy benzoate, of surface stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal (SSFLC) material. We found that the order parameter coupling terms make crucial contributions to the transition parameters and have to be included in free-energy density expansion. The values of these parameters depend on the length of terminal alkyl chain. A close agreement between theory and experiment has been found.