Imaging of Liquid Crystals Using a Tunneling Microscope

J. S. Foster; J. E. Frommer; J. K. Spong

doi:10.1117/12.976420

25 July 1989 Imaging of Liquid Crystals Using a Tunneling Microscope

J. S. Foster, J. E. Frommer, J. K. Spong

Proceedings Volume 1080, Liquid Crystal Chemistry, Physics, and Applications; (1989) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.976420
Event: OE/LASE '89, 1989, Los Angeles, CA, United States

Abstract

Individual organic molecules in a liquid crystal array on a graphite surface have been imaged with the scanning tunneling microscope (STM) with near-atomic resolution 1,2. Two-dimensional order has been identified in 4-n-octy1-4'-cyanobiphenyl (8CR) and 5-nony1-2-n-nonoxylphenylpyrimidine (PYT) 909). The high resolution of the STM allows direct observation of intermolecular distances, angles and orientations. From the data, we find in the case of 803 a variety of surface phases can exist whereas for PYP 909 we find only one simple configuration. The graphite substrate appears to influence the molecules in two ways: 1) the molecular axes lie parallel to the surface so that the STM images a cross-section of the classical smectic planes; and 2) molecules of one plane are registered with those of adjacent planes, a degree of order which is not normally observed in the bulk.

Citation Download Citation

J. S. Foster, J. E. Frommer, and J. K. Spong "Imaging of Liquid Crystals Using a Tunneling Microscope", Proc. SPIE 1080, Liquid Crystal Chemistry, Physics, and Applications, (25 July 1989); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.976420

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