Experimental investigations of one liquid-crystal compound exhibiting the no-layer-shrinkage effect near the [Formula presented] transition

Three experimental probes have been employed to investigate the nature of the smectic-[Formula presented]–smectic-[Formula presented] ([Formula presented]) phase transition of one liquid-crystal compound showing almost no layer-shrinkage effect through the transition. Results from both x-ray diffraction and optical studies indicate that the compound exhibits a crossover behavior of different molecular packing arrangements within the bulk [Formula presented] phase window. The calorimetry results show a significant critical anomaly near the [Formula presented] transition, although it was found to be weakly first order.