title: Finite-size effects in biomimetic smectic films.
abstract: Thin stacks of lipid multibilayers supported on rigid silicon and mica substrates are found to exhibit finite-size effects. Using neutron diffraction we find that the repeat spacing (d) of stacks containing up to a few tens of bilayers depends on their thickness (D), with d increasing with decreasing D. Differences in d are larger in the low-temperature Lbeta' phase consisting of rigid bilayers than in the high-temperature Lalpha phase where the bilayers are more flexible. Various scenarios that may be responsible for this counterintuitive observation are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences, National Research Council, Chalk River, Ontario, Canada K0J 1J0.
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Harroun
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Raghunathan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pencer
authors.forename: M-P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Nieh
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Katsaras
mesh_terms: D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004134:Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine / Q000737:chemistry*; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry*; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000737:chemistry; D008560:Membrane Fluidity; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D033363:Neutron Diffraction / Q000379:methods*; D044367:Phase Transition; D013499:Surface Properties; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D004134:Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine