Planar and non-planar solidification Planar and non-planar solidification of optically organized smectic films

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel freezing process that produces highly homogeneous chiral smectic films with both planar and complex three-dimensional shapes, advancing the control over optical film properties.

Contribution

The study presents an original freezing technique enabling the formation of uniform chiral smectic films with diverse geometries, including non-planar shapes.

Findings

Homogeneous films achieved on planar and complex 3D shapes

Optical homogeneity confirmed across different geometries

Process enables new possibilities for optical film applications

Abstract

We present in this letter an original freezing process yielding remarkably homogeneous films of chiral smectics. This optical homogeneity is observed on planar films as well as on films exhibiting various complex three-dimensional shapes.