A. Fery et al., AFM and optical investigations of liquid crystal dewetting: Influence of short and long-range forces, MOL CRYST A, 330, 1999, pp. 1511-1520
Citations number
18
Categorie Soggetti
Physical Chemistry/Chemical Physics
Journal title
MOLECULAR CRYSTALS AND LIQUID CRYSTALS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SECTION A-MOLECULAR CRYSTALS AND LIQUID CRYSTALS
We have investigated the dewetting morphology of thin films of the liquid c
rystals 5AB(4) and 5AB(3), from a silicon substrate. For 5AB(4) nucleation
and spinodal dewetting can be clearly identified, and from scanning force m
icroscopy of the liquid profiles, details of the effective interface potent
ial can be quantitatively inferred. Due to peculiarities of the wetting for
ces in this system, the analogy to spinodal decomposition is particularly c
lose. With 5AB(3), an additional, rather complicated dewetting scenario is
observed which is connected to the crystallization of droplets which have f
ormed during the initial dewetting process.