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Liquid-crystal-solid interface structure at the antiferroelectric-ferroelectric phase transition
D Coleman1, S Bardon, L Radzihovsky
1Condensed Matter Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA.
Summary
This study reveals how molecular organization changes at the surface of chiral smectic liquid crystals near a phase transition. Ferroelectric surface order is expelled during the bulk antiferroelectric-ferroelectric transition.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Physical Chemistry
Background:
- Chiral smectic liquid crystals exhibit complex phase behaviors.
- Understanding surface molecular organization is crucial for device applications.
- The antiferroelectric-ferroelectric phase transition influences material properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the molecular organization at the surface of tilted chiral smectic liquid crystals.
- To analyze the behavior near the bulk antiferroelectric-ferroelectric phase transition.
- To model ferroelectric order at the surface.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing total internal reflection to probe surface molecular organization.
- Applying an exact analytical solution for a real model of ferroelectric surface order.
- Analyzing data from tilted chiral smectic liquid crystal mixtures.
Main Results:
- Ferroelectric surface order is expelled in mixture T3 during the bulk phase transition.
- The study presents conditions for ferroelectric order at the surface of an antiferroelectric bulk.
- Surface molecular organization is directly linked to bulk phase transitions.
Conclusions:
- The surface molecular organization of chiral smectic liquid crystals is sensitive to bulk phase transitions.
- Total internal reflection is an effective technique for studying surface phenomena in liquid crystals.
- The findings provide insights into controlling ferroelectric order at interfaces.