Induced hexatic phase in a free-standing two-layer N-(4-n-butoxybenzylidene)-4-n-octylaniline film

Electron diffraction shows that a free-standing two-layer film of N-(4-n-butoxybenzylidene)-4-n-octylaniline exhibits smectic-A, hexatic-B, and crystal-B phases upon cooling. The hexatic-B is preceded by a phase, called hexatic-[Formula Presented], with hexatic-like positional correlations but no sixfold symmetric arcs in its diffraction pattern. The smectic-A–hexatic [Formula Presented] transition is accompanied by a strong heat-capacity and optical-reflectivity anomaly.