Surface Anchoring and Growth Pattern of the Field-Driven First-Order Transition in a Smectic-ALiquid Crystal

It is demonstrated that a surface energy anisotropy (anchoring) defines the growth pattern of the field-induced transition in a smectic-A liquid crystal (Sm-A). The stable domain phase nucleates as rounded domains but expands as stripes. The change in growth pattern is accounted for a large anchoring strength Wₐ~10^-2-10^-3 J/m² which is connected with the layer breaking in the vicinity of the cell plates. The temperature dependence of Wₐ for Sm-A (substance CCN-47) is measured for the first time: Wₐ~(T_A-N-T)^0.65±0.09.