Physical Realization of a Lifshitz Point in Liquid Crystals

Abstract

A theoretically based proposal of a concrete physical realization of a Lifshitz point is given for the first time. This point should occur on the $\mathcal{H}\ensuremath{-}T$ diagram of a chiral liquid crystal exhibiting a second-order transition between the smectic phases $A$ and helicoidal $C$ ($\mathcal{H}$ is a magnetic field parallel to the smectic layers). The phase diagram near this point is shown to be similar to the one obtained in the case of uniaxial magnetization.