How are the molecules tilted in smectic-C liquid crystals?

In smectic-C liquid crystals, the molecules are arranged in layers, and their long axes (directors) are tilted with respect to the normal of these layers.1

This structural tilt distinguishes the smectic-C phase from the smectic-A phase, in which the molecules are oriented perpendicular to the layers (untilted). In certain applications, such as surface-stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal displays, this tilt is coupled with a permanent charge separation, or ferroelectric dipole, which lies in the plane of the layers and is perpendicular to the direction of the molecular tilt. An applied voltage can be used to reverse the tilt direction of these molecules, a property utilized for rapid electro-optical switching.12