Painleve analysis for a semi-linear parabolic equation arising in smectic liquid crystals

This article presents a systematic method, employing a Painlevéanalysis for obtaining static and travelling wave solutionsto a semi-linear parabolic equation which frequently arisesin the smectic liquid crystal literature. The equation consideredhas sinusoidal non-linearities and shares some of the featuresof the double sine-Gordon equation; a brief discussion of therelationship of this equation to liquid crystals is also given.