Ellipsometric studies of synclinic and anticlinic arrangements in liquid crystal films

The molecular arrangements in liquid crystal freestanding films are studied when smectic C* surface ordering occurs above the bulk smectic A to smecti c C* transition temperature. Details of the resulting structures are resolv ed using ellipsometry. The behavior of the film is compound dependent. Belo w a critical electric field, either a synclinic or anticlinic structure may be present depending on the magnitude of the bulk spontaneous polarization . A model is presented in which the low-field anticlinic arrangement result s from the interaction between polarization fluctuations at the two surface s.