Light scattering studies of crossover to a liquid crystal tricritical point

We have used light scattering to study nematic elastic constantsK ₂ andK ₃ in the alkyl-cyanobiphenyl (n CB) system. As the average alkyl chain lengthn increases, the temperature range of the nematic phase decreases and the system approaches a tricritical point. Our data are analyzed to determine the parallel and perpendicular correlation lengths and critical exponents for smectic short-range order. We find a continuous decrease in the critical exponentsv andv as the tricritical point, which occurs at 9.1 CB, is approached. There is also a significant decrease in the magnitude of the parallel correlation length at a fixed reduced temperature.