Structural Forces near Phase Transitions of Liquid Crystals

The structure of the fragile liquid‐crystalline phases has a strong impact on the forces between bodies immersed in a liquid crystal (LC). We have equipped an atomic force microscope with a precise temperature control and measured various liquid‐crystalline structural forces at temperatures close to the phase transitions. The observed forces agree well with predictions of Landau–de Gennes phenomenological theory of LCs, even at a nanoscale length. In addition to this, we have observed a molecular layer, adsorbed on the surfactant‐covered glass surface, and determined its thickness and elastic properties.