Application of Polarizing Optical Microscopy in Investigation of Crystallization Kinetics from Smectic C_{A}^{*} Phase

Abstract

Polarizing optical microscopy is used to investigate the isothermal and non-isothermal crystallization of the 3F6FPhF6 compound, which exhibits the smectic C^* and smectic C_A^* phases. A large hysteresis of above 20 K in the smectic C^*/smectic C_A^* phase transition is reported. The kinetics of non-isothermal crystallization is analyzed by means of the continuous cooling transition diagram. The cooling rate necessary for at least partial vitrification of the smectic C_A^* phase is estimated. The relationship between the thermodynamic driving force of crystallization and thermal energy of the translational degrees of freedom is shown to have a strong impact on crystallization.