Direct layer-by-layer freezing of a smectic liquid-crystal surface into the crystalline phase - art. no. 050703

Electron diffraction and optical reflectivity have provided the direct conf irmation of the existence of layer-by-layer surface transitions from the sm ectic-A immediately to the crystal-B phase in a liquid-crystal material, wi thout going through an intermediate hexatic phase. The molecular interactio ns are found to be through retarded van der Waals forces. Our results sugge st that a smectic-A film can transform into a crystal-B through three possi ble scenarios.