LIQUID-CRYSTAL MONOLAYERS IN HIGH MAGNETIC-FIELDS - A 2ND-HARMONIC GENERATION STUDY

We present the first experimental results on the molecular orientation of LC monolayers in high magnetic fields. The influence of the extern al magnetic field on the in-plane molecular orientation of 4-n-octyl-4 '-cyanobiphenyl (8CB) molecules on rubbed polymer surfaces is studied with the use of second-harmonic generation. It is found that the orien tation of the LC molecules is fixed with respect to the rubbing axis u pto magnetic fields of 20 T. These results are in-line with the previo usly proposed model for surface-induced LC alignment based on a LC bul k interacting with a fixed interfacial LC monolayer. It can also be co ncluded that hardly any collective behaviour of the LC molecules, cons tituting the first monolayer, is present.