Pressure Effect on Nematic-Smectic A Transition in the Hard Rod System with an Attractive Interaction

By applying the method of symmetry breaking potential to the three direction model of hard rods with an attractive pair interaction, the effect of pressure on the Nematic-Smectic A transition is investigated. The curve of that transition temperature versus pressure as well as some other results agree with the experimental results qualitatively. It is shown that the tricritical point is possible to appear on that curve, by paying attention on the effect of attractive pair potential.