Capillary condensation of a nematic liquid crystal observed by force spectroscopy.
We have observed capillary condensation in nanometer-thin films of nematic liquid crystals using force spectroscopy. The liquid crystal was confined to a submicron gap between a flat substrate and a microsphere, attached to the cantilever of an atomic force microscope. A long-ranged and strongly attractive force due to capillary condensation of a nematic phase was observed at temperatures close to the bulk isotropic-nematic phase transition. The critical point, terminating the first-order confined isotropic-nematic transition line, was determined for the first time.
Kocevar
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K
J. Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Borstnik
A
A
Musevic
I
I
Zumer
S
S