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Updated: Jul 8, 2025

Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
Published on: May 15, 2017
Undulations of Smectic A Layers in Achiral Liquid Crystals Manifested as Stripe Textures
Natalia Podoliak1, Peter Salamon2, Lubor Lejček1
1Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Na Slovance 2, CZ-182 00 Prague 8, Czech Republic.
Abstract:
Self-assembly of organic molecules represents a fascinating playground to create various liquid crystalline nanostructures. In this Letter, we study layer undulations on micrometer scale in smectic A phases for achiral compounds, experimentally demonstrated as regular stripe patterns induced by thermal treatment. Undulations, including their anharmonic properties, are evaluated by means of polarimetric imaging and light diffraction experiments in cells with various thicknesses. The key role in stripe formation is played by high negative values of the thermal expansion coefficient.
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