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CONDENSED MATTER

Two-dimensional ordering of inclusions in smectic-C films

P. Cluzeau^a, G. Joly^a, H. T. Nguyen^b, V. K. Dolganov<sup>c

a</sup> Laboratoire de Dynamique et de Structure des Matériaux Moléculaires, ESA CNRS 8024, Universite de Lille I
^b Université Bordeaux I, Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal, CNRS
^c Institute of Solid State Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences

Abstract: The organization of inclusions nucleated in free standing films of smectic-C (SmC) liquid crystal is investigated using polarized light microscopy. Anchoring on the inclusion boundaries induces distortions of the in-plane orientational order of the SmC phase which drive the elastic interactions between inclusions. Such interactions evidence a quadrupolar character. At low concentration, the inclusions self-organize in linear or branched chain structures while at high concentration two-dimensional patterns appear in the film.

PACS: 61.30.Jf, 82.70.Dd

Received: 03.04.2002

Language: English

 English version: Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics Letters, 2002, 75:9, 482–486

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