Optical reflectivity study of synclinic and anticlinic structures in thin freely suspended smectic films

Optical reflectivity studies have been conducted on freely suspended films with synclinic and anticlinic structures. For the first time quantitative d ata were obtained on orientational ordering in films with anticlinic struct ure. In the same wide temperature range of more than 30 K we observed both transverse and longitudinal ferroelectricity in the films of the same thick ness. Equilibrium transition temperatures between structures with transvers e and longitudinal polarization were above the bulk transition temperature to the SmCA* phase. The molecule tilt was determined in superthin films wit h synclinic and anticlinic ordering.