Growth of Tilted Domains in an Octadecanol Langmuir Monolayer Using Radial Temperature Gradients

Abstract

Using Brewster angle microscopy, it is demonstrated that extended L 2 '-single liquid crystalline domains in an octadecanol monolayer grow by locally heating and cooling Langmuir monolayers at the air/ water-interface witha focused IR-laser. The effect of the cooling rate on the domain size is discussed. The behavior is explained as an isotensile reorientation transition.