Abstract
A unique ac calorimeter for measuring the heat capacity of free-standing liquid-crystal films has been developed. A theory of the measurement method used is presented and the experimental setup is discussed. The calorimeter has been used to study the nature of the smectic-A-hexatic-B transition of several liquid-crystal compounds. The evolution of the heat-capacity anomaly associated with this transition has been studied for films ranging from three to a few thousand smectic layers in thickness.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 415-421 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Review of Scientific Instruments |
| Volume | 62 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1991 |
Keywords
- CALORIMETERS
- DESIGN
- PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
- SMECTIC CRYSTALS
- TRANSITION HEAT
- TWO−DIMENSIONAL SYSTEMS