title: Direct layer-by-layer freezing of a smectic liquid-crystal surface into the crystalline phase.
abstract: Electron diffraction and optical reflectivity have provided the direct confirmation of the existence of layer-by-layer surface transitions from the smectic-A immediately to the crystal-B phase in a liquid-crystal material, without going through an intermediate hexatic phase. The molecular interactions are found to be through retarded van der Waals forces. Our results suggest that a smectic-A film can transform into a crystal-B through three possible scenarios.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, National Central University, Chung-Li 32054, Taiwan, Republic of China. cychao@phy.ncu.edu.tw
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: B N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Ho