Heat-capacity anomalies from four-layer liquid-crystal films: experimental results and simulation results

Abstract

Our recent heat-capacity measurements on four-layer free-standing liquid-crystal films near the smectic-A-hexatic-B transition of n-heptyl-4'-n-pentyloxybiphenyl-4-carboxylate (75OBC) exhibit separate heat-capacity anomalies associated with the distinct ordering of the interior and surface layers. Employing the Metropolis Monte Carlo technique, we have simulated these transitions in a layered system with finite thickness (for example, 30×30×4). Comparison between our experimental and simulation results indicates that the anisotropy between inter- and intralayer interactions plays an important role in our experimental findings. Furthermore, the ratio of intra- to interlayer interactions strength should be more than 100.