Surface structures of a ferroelectric liquid crystal on graphite observed by scanning tunnelling microscopy
Abstract
Scanning tunnelling microscopic observation of a smectic liquid crystal of (S)-C10H21O–C6H4–CC–C6H3F–CO2(CH2)3CH(Me)Et on graphite strongly indicates two possible surface structures of the material; a surface stabilized flat monolayer with a fixed molecular orientation and a helicoidal structure in which the molecules are tilted in different directions from layer to layer.