Thin liquid crystal films on liquids in the nematic range of temperatures.

Hybrid nematic films deposited on liquid substrates reveal a complex behavior, which is not fully understood. Here, the behavior of the n-cyanobiphenyl series on water and glycerol has been studied in a wide temperature range, including the vicinity of the nematic-isotropic (NI) transition. Wettability, allowed film thicknesses, and line tension of nematic domains have been investigated.

Nematic pancakes revisited.

The spontaneous spreading of the 5CB nematic liquid crystal on solid substrates has been extensively studied in the last years both at the microscopic(1-4) and macroscopic(5-6) scales. The remarkable feature at the microscopic scale is the presence of a discontinuity in the thickness profile of the films. On the other hand, the spreading dynamics of macroscopic drops is quite specific.