title: Edge dislocation in a vertical smectic-A film: line tension versus temperature and film thickness near the nematic phase
abstract: The line tension of a dislocation is measured in a vertical smectic-A film as a function of temperature and film thickness. There are two contributions to the line tension: a bulk contribution that corresponds to the energy of the dislocation in an infinite medium and a surface correction that accounts for interactions with the two free surfaces. Both terms are measured in pure 8CB (octylcyanobiphenyl) as a function of temperature when the bulk nematic-smectic-A transition temperature T(c) is approached.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Physique de l'Ecole Normale Superieure de Lyon, UMR 5672 du CNRS, 46 Allee d'Italie, 69364 Lyon Cedex 07, France and Institute of Physical Chemistry-PAS and College of Science, Department III, ul. Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Wa.
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zywocinski
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Picano
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oswald
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Geminard