Formation of string defects at thinning transitions in smectic-C* free-standing films
The layer thinning transitions in freely suspended smectic-C* films have been investigated. The defect structure formed by stringlike lines was observed just before the thinning transitions. The string defects disappear after the thinning transition and appear again near the temperature of the next thinning transition. These results clearly indicate that thin free-standing films at the thinning transitions are slightly below the melting temperature of the interior layers.
Cluzeau
P
Laboratoire de Dynamique et de Structure des Materiaux Moleculaires, ESA CNRS 8024, Universite de Lille I, 59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex, France.
Joly
G
Nguyen
HT
Gors
C
Dolganov
VK