The molecular theory of the smectic $B$ and $H$ phases is extended to the smectic $E$ and VI phases by including the phenyl-phenyl interaction in addition to the dipole-dipole potential used previously. This phenyl-phenyl interaction contains quadrupole-quradrupole, dispersive, and exchange terms. The possibility of both dipolar and "herringbone" order is considered in the self-consistent-field approximation. Four phases are found, all with a two-dimensional hexagonal lattice assumed: (1) a disordered phase (smectic $B$); (2) an oriented phase in which dipoles align (smectic $H$); (3) a herringbone phase with phenyl groups ordered (smectic $E$); (4) and a herringbone phase with both phenyl groups and dipoles ordered (smectic VI). In the phases with dipolar order the director is tilted with respect to the normal to the plane. The transitions vary in order. The temperature dependence of the order parameters, entropy, and specific heat are computed.

• Received 16 December 1974

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.12.1066