Ys. Shi et al., X-RAY-SCATTERING STUDY OF A SMECTIC-A LIQUID-CRYSTAL PARTIALLY CONFINED BETWEEN FREE-SURFACE AND MICROGROOVED SUBSTRATES, Molecular crystals and liquid crystals science and technology. Section A, Molecular crystals and liquid crystals, 301, 1997, pp. 73-78
X-ray scattering is used to probe the smectic order in octylcyanobiphe
nyl partially confined between a free surface and a microgrooved glass
substrate. It is found that the smectic order develops 6 K above the
bulk nematic to smectic-A transition with layer spacing compressed up
to 3% under a lateral confinement within the grooves. This lateral con
finement is released as the thickness of the film above the grooves in
creases.