Han XF, Wang ST, Cady A, Radcliffe MD, Huang CC. Double reentrance of surface arrangements in freestanding liquid crystal films.
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2003;
91:045501. [PMID:
12906671 DOI:
10.1103/physrevlett.91.045501]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2003] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The molecular arrangement of tilted surface layers on freestanding films above the bulk smectic-A-smectic-C(*) transition has been studied by null transmission ellipsometry. In the presence of an applied in-plane electric field, a synclinic-anticlinic-synclinic-anticlinic double reentrance has been observed. Furthermore, we have characterized a novel transition from the synclinic arrangement to a structure in which the interior layers tilt in the same orientation and the outermost surface layers tilt oppositely with the interior layers.
Collapse