Liquid Crystals of One- and Two-Dimensional Order

Book excerpt: This conference on liquid crystals of one- and two-dimensional order and their applications is the third in a series of European conferences devoted mainly to smectic liquid crystals. Its purpose was to bring together people working on the frontiers of the field of liquid crystals. Ordinary nematic liquid crystals were left out in order to limit the size of the meeting. The number of registered participants still reached 148. The conference shed new light on the classification of smectic mesophases, especially through the interaction of the Halle (GDR) and Hull (England) groups. It saw lively discussions on the famous blue phase of cholesterics. There were illuminating presentations on lyotropic nematic liquid crystals, on reentrant nematics, mesomorphic polymer phases, and related subjects. Much room was given to bilayers, monolayers, and interfaces, mostly to further the use of the concepts and methods of liquid crystal physics in exploring bio membranes. Other topics were device applications of smectic and cholesteric liquid crystals and nematic polymers, both of which hold promise of techno logical breakthroughs, apart from their scientific interest.