PHYSICAL-PROPERTIES OF THIN SUBSTRATE-FREE LIQUID-CRYSTAL FILMS

Free-standing liquid-crystal films constitute a unique and phenomenally rich system in which a number of physical phenomena may be carefully studied. In particular, they provide an ideal system in which the novel theories of defect-mediated melting in two-dimensions (2D) may be tested. Calorimetric data is presented that indicate that such theories cannot adequately account for phase transitions in effectively 2D free-standing liquid-crystal films only two molecular layers in thickness. Extensive Monte Carlo simulation studies have therefore been performed on a trial Hamiltonian that couples herringbone order to the hexatic order. In a relatively large region of parameter space, the simulation yields heat-capacity consistent with our calorimetric data. These results are discussed in the context of existing data on the structural, optical, and mechanical properties of free-standing films.