The smectic C-smectic A transition in variable thickness liquid crystal films: Order parameter measurements and theory.
01 January 1984
We present the results of experimental measurements and a mean- field theory analysis of the temperature dependence of the average tilt angle near the smectic-C to smectic-A transition in thin films of 2 through 10 molecular layers. The critical temperatures were observed to increase with decreasing film thickness. Thus, these films provide one of the few physical realizations of systems where the surface interactions are stronger than those in the bulk.