Record Details

Title:
Evidence of a first-order smectic-hexatic transition and its proximity to a tricritical point in smectic films
Affiliation(s):
EuXFEL staff, Other
Author group:
Theory
Keyword(s):
Topic:
Scientific area:
Abstract:
Experimental and theoretical studies of a smectic-$A$–hexatic-$B$ transition in freely suspended films of thickness 2–10 $μm$ of the $n$-pentyl-4′−$n$-pentanoyloxy-biphenyl-4-carboxylate (54COOBC) compound are presented. X-ray investigations revealed a discontinuous first-order transition into the hexatic phase. The temperature region of two-phase coexistence near the phase transition point diminishes with decreasing film thickness. The width of this temperature region as a function of the film thickness was derived on the basis of a Landau mean-field theory in the vicinity of a tricritical point (TCP). Close to TCP the surface hexatic-$B$ order penetrates anomalously deep into the film interior.
Imprint:
American Physical Society, 2018
Journal Information:
Physical Review E, 98 (5), 052703 (2018)
Related external records:
Language(s):
English
Record appears in:

Export