Two Experimental Tests of the Halperin-Lubensky-Ma Effect at the Nematic–Smectic-A Phase Transition

Yethiraj, Anand and Bechhoefer, John (2000) Two Experimental Tests of the Halperin-Lubensky-Ma Effect at the Nematic–Smectic-A Phase Transition. Physical Review Letters, 84 (16). pp. 3642-3645. ISSN 1079-7114

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Abstract

We have conducted two quantitative tests of predictions based on the Halperin-Lubensky-Ma (HLM) theory of fluctuation-induced first-order phase transitions. First, we explore the effect of an external magnetic field on the nematic–smectic-A transition in a liquid crystal. Second, we examine the dependence of the first-order discontinuity as a function of mixture concentration in pure 8CB and three 8CB-10CB mixtures. We find the first quantitative evidence for deviations from the HLM theory.

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