XeCl laser deposition of liquid crystals: results and mechanisms

Films of 4-cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) and E7 liquid crystals have been produced by 308 nm XeCl laser deposition. Film properties were investigated using visible–UV and IR absorption spectroscopy, optical microscopy, high-performance liquid chromatography and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–mass spectroscopy. For fluences in the range ≈30–100 mJ cm−2 the deposited layers are found to have properties closely similar to the parent material with no appreciable decomposition being detectable. Modelling of the interaction suggests that ablation could occur through explosive superheating, producing stoichiometric removal of the multicomponent liquid-crystal system.