Continuous thermodynamic path between three smectic-A phases of the same symmetry

Abstract

Observation of a continuous thermodynamic path between smectic-A1 and smectic-A2 phases is reported. This path follows a continuous evolution from smectic-A1 to smectic-Ad in the vicinity of a closed-loop nematic domain and then from smectic-Ad to smectic-A2 in the neighborhood of a smectic-Ad–smectic-A2 critical point.