Acoustic waves in compressible planar layered smectic liquid crystals

A dynamic theory for compressible smectic C (SmC) liquid crystals is postulated following previous work by Leslie, Stewart and Nakagawa [1], Nakagawa [2,3] and de Gennes [4]. This theory is then implemented with a constructed bulk elastic energy and asymmetric stress tensor to describe a system of planar layered SmC liquid crystals undergoing various undulation modes. We show that previous work on smectic~A (SmA) liquid crystals [4] can be expanded for SmC and consolidated. Novel and confirming estimates for SmC material parameter values are produced by considering the dependence of the system on these parameters. [1] F. M. Leslie, I. W. Stewart, and M. Nakagawa, A continuum theory for smectic C liquid crystals, Mol. Cryst. Liq. Cryst., 198 (1991), pp. 443-454. [2] M. Nakagawa, A hydrodynamic theory of compressible SmC* liquid crystals, J. Phys. Soc. Japan, 65 (1996), pp. 100-106. [3] M. Nakagawa, A hydrodynamic theory of compressible SmC* liquid crystals, J. Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech., 119 (2004), pp. 123-129. [4] P. G. de Gennes and J. Prost, The Physics of Liquid Crystals, Oxford University Press, Oxford, second ed., 1993.