The Quadrupolar Effects on Dielectric Loss in SmC_α* and SmC_A* Phases

The dielectric response of chiral smectic liquid crystal phases under the influence of external harmonic electric field can be calculated from a Landau-typed phenomenological model. The quadrupolar coupling, included in the model as one of the interfacial interactions, has significant effects on the dielectric loss of chiral smectic liquid crystal phases. Numerical results of frequency dependence of dielectric loss as well as the variation of dielectric loss with quadrupolar coupling strength for and phases are obtained.