Alignment and texture of thin liquid crystal films on solid substrates

Thin liquid crystal films in the range from 0.4 to 10 μm were thermally evaporated on solid surfaces. Semistable films were maintained on obliquely evaporated SiO surfaces that induce homeotropic, homogeneous, or tilted alignment. Realignment which violates the boundary conditions was observed in the smectic phase of thin films. The nematic phase of homogeneously aligned films has a peculiar two-domain texture indicative of a spontaneous twist due to conflicting and degenerate boundary conditions.