Second-harmonic generation from rubbed ferroelectric liquid crystal mesogenic monolayer surfaces.
We have designed self-assembled monolayers of molecules containing a ferroelectric liquid crystal mesogen attached to a glass surface through an alkane chain. After mechanical rubbing these layers induce a single domain in a cell containing a high-polarization achiral liquid crystal in the smectic-C phase. We have used optical second-harmonic generation to demonstrate that this behavior is explained by rubbing-induced in-plane anisotropy of the angular distribution function that describes the ensemble of mesogenic units. The surface order parameter is 0.094, a substantial fraction of what has been observed for rubbed polymeric alignment layers.
Park
C S
CS
Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA.
Furtak
T E
TE
Clark
N A
NA
Liberko
C A
CA
Walba
D M
DM