Structure of Smectic Defect Cores: X-Ray Study of 8CB Liquid Crystal Ultrathin Films

Journal Article · Fri Jan 20 00:00:00 EST 2006 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.027803· OSTI ID:20776959

Michel, Jean-Philippe; Lacaze, Emmanuelle; Goldmann, Michel; Gailhanou, Marc; Boissieu, Marc de; Alba, Michel ^[1]

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1. INSP, Universites Paris 6 et 7, UMR-CNRS 7588, Campus Boucicaut, 140 rue de Lourmel, F-75015 Paris (France)

We study the structure of very thin liquid crystal films frustrated by antagonistic anchorings in the smectic phase. In a cylindrical geometry, the structure is dominated by the defects for film thicknesses smaller than 150 nm and the detailed topology of the defects' cores can be revealed by x-ray diffraction. They appear to be split in half tube-shaped rotating grain boundaries (RGB). We determine the RGB spatial extension and evaluate its energy per unit length. Both are significantly larger than the ones usually proposed in the literature.

• OSTI ID: 20776959
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 96, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.027803; (c) 2006 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CRYSTAL DEFECTS
CYLINDRICAL CONFIGURATION
GEOMETRY
GRAIN BOUNDARIES
LIQUID CRYSTALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
THICKNESS
THIN FILMS
TOPOLOGY
X-RAY DIFFRACTION