Growth of commensurate and incommensurate smectics on crystal substrates

The nematic-smectic transition near a crystal substrate with a periodic potential relief is investigated. It is shown that structures which are commensurate or incommensurate with the substrate potential can form, depending on the values of the physical parameters of the system and the temperature. The possibility of realizing and observing such structures is discussed. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 63, No. 9, 708–712 (10 May 1996)