Magnetic field induced alignment of the director in a smectic A phase: surface effects

Deuterium NMR studies of the alignment by a magnetic field of the director in the smectic A phase of 4-octyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl have shown this to be a complex process. To explore the influence of the interaction between the smectic A phase and the surface of its container on the pathways available fo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inChemical physics letters Vol. 320; no. 3; pp. 255 - 261
Main Authors Emsley, J.W, Luckhurst, G.R, Pedrielli, P
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Elsevier B.V 07.04.2000
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Summary:Deuterium NMR studies of the alignment by a magnetic field of the director in the smectic A phase of 4-octyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl have shown this to be a complex process. To explore the influence of the interaction between the smectic A phase and the surface of its container on the pathways available for director alignment we have investigated a droplet of this phase suspended in glycerol. The field induced alignment of the director in the droplet is found to be dramatically different, both quantitatively and qualitatively, to that found for the smectic A phase confined to a glass tube.
ISSN:0009-2614
1873-4448
DOI:10.1016/S0009-2614(00)00236-0