Observation of unusual surface ordering in a uniaxial Sm-A phase formed by a highly biaxial compound.
We have studied one banana-shaped compound using null-transmission ellipsometry. By studying free-standing films of various thicknesses we confirm that this compound exhibits the Sm-A phase. This is the first banana-shaped compound with a relatively small bend angle (approximately 140 degrees) in which a uniaxial phase has been observed. At the lower temperature end of the Sm-A phase we observe unusual ordering at the surface of the film.
Olson
D A
DA
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA.
Han
X F
XF
Cady
A
A
Weissflog
W
W
Huang
C C
CC