title: Surface-induced orientational phase transition in a lyotropic liquid crystal observed by nonlinear optical techniques.
abstract: We have observed a phase transition from a uniaxial to a biaxial nematic phase in a lyotropic liquid crystal as a function of decreasing film thickness. The results, obtained by optical second-harmonic generation experiments in a wedged cell geometry, are supported by additional Z -scan measurements and can be interpreted by wall-induced ordering effects.
authors.affiliation: NSRIM, University of Nijmegen, Toernooiveld 1, 6525 ED Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: I H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Bechtold
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Bonvent
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hohlfeld
authors.forename: Th
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rasing