Abstract
Null transmission ellipsometer was employed to study the surface-induced tilt transition of an antiferroelectric liquid crystal compound in the bulk smectic- A (SmA) temperature range. The data of the surface tilt transition can be fitted with an extended mean-field model. These results indicate the transition is near a mean-field tricritical point. The surface layers' tilt directions are found to be in different planes several degrees above the bulk SmA-Sm Cα transition.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 031704 |
Journal | Physical Review E - Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics |
Volume | 79 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 3 2009 |