Surface plasmon Raman scattering studies of liquid crystal anchoring on liquid-crystal-based self-assembled monolayers

The Journal of Physical Chemistry. B
Kevin CritchleyStephen D Evans

Abstract

We studied the anchoring of 6CB on a series of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) with a functional group that mimics that of the nematic liquid crystal (LC). The SAMs were first characterized by wetting, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and surface potential measurements. We found that, in two of these SAMs, the end group dipoles were oriented close to the normal of the surface and that these promoted homeotropic anchoring. In the case of the other SAM, the dipole was oriented parallel to the surface, and planar anchoring was obtained. Raman scattering by adsorbates on thin metal films is enhanced by the electromagnetic fields of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs). Despite the inherent polarization of SPPs, there have been few reports in which SPP Raman scattering has been used to study molecular orientation. We have developed optical instrumentation to provide efficient excitation and collection of SPP Raman scattered light using attenuated total reflection geometry. The Kretschmann prism coupling configuration was used to excite SPPs on thin (500 A) gold films with adsorbed SAMs of alkanethiols in contact with thin films (50 microm) of the nematic liquid crystal 4'-hexylbiphenyl-4-carbonitrile (6CB, Merck). The anchorin...Continue Reading

References

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Aug 21, 2007·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Thimmaiah GovindarajuNicholas L Abbott

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Citations

Apr 20, 2016·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Jeffrey J SchwartzPaul S Weiss
Feb 17, 2011·Analytical Chemistry·Stefan A MeyerPablo G Etchegoin
Nov 13, 2010·ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·Panida PrompinitStephen D Evans

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