NMAR Study of Short Range Smectic A Order iln the Nematic Phase of CBOOA

The proton spin-lattice relaxation time in the rotating frame (T1β was measured in n-p-cyanobenzilidene-p-n-octaloxyanaline (CBOOA) doped with several weight percent cholesterol decanoate (CD). These measurements were made as a function of temperature and applied electric field intensityu. Near the critical electric field for a cholesteric-nematic p;hase transition, order fluctuations are enhanced. In particular, at temperatures slightly above the smectic A-nematic phase transition and for electric fields near the critical field, there are large flucturations in the short range order.