Ellipsometric studies of synclinic and anticlinic arrangements in liquid crystal films
The molecular arrangements in liquid crystal freestanding films are studied when smectic C* surface ordering occurs above the bulk smectic A to smectic C* transition temperature. Details of the resulting structures are resolved using ellipsometry. The behavior of the film is compound dependent. Below a critical electric field, either a synclinic or anticlinic structure may be present depending on the magnitude of the bulk spontaneous polarization. A model is presented in which the low-field anticlinic arrangement results from the interaction between polarization fluctuations at the two surfaces.
Johnson
PM
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
Olson
DA
Pankratz
S
Bahr
C
Goodby
JW
Huang
CC