"Chevron" Local Layer Structure in Surface-Stabilized Ferroelectric Smectic-<span class="aps-inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><mi>C</mi></math></span> Cells

T. P. Rieker; N. A. Clark; G. S. Smith; D. S. Parmar; E. B. Sirota; C. R. Safinya

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.59.2658

"Chevron" Local Layer Structure in Surface-Stabilized Ferroelectric Smectic- $C$ Cells

T. P. Rieker, N. A. Clark, G. S. Smith, D. S. Parmar, E. B. Sirota, and C. R. Safinya

Phys. Rev. Lett. 59, 2658 – Published 7 December 1987

Abstract

High-resolution x-ray scattering studies of thin smectic- $C$ ( $Sm C$ ) samples prepared between solid plates by cooling from the smectic- $A$ phase reveal a surprising "chevron" structure of tilted layers. This structure is formed as a response to the shrinking of the $Sm C$ layers while anchored to the solid plates. The layer tilt is independent of surface treatment. Our results provide fundamental new information on the structure and surface interactions of SmC layers and provide evidence for a new SmC defect.

Received 12 May 1987

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.59.2658

Authors & Affiliations

T. P. Rieker¹, N. A. Clark¹, G. S. Smith^1,2, D. S. Parmar¹, E. B. Sirota², and C. R. Safinya²

¹Department of Physics, Condensed Matter Laboratory, and Center for Optoelectronic Computing Systems, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309
²Exxon Research and Engineering Company, Annandale, New Jersey 08801