MOLECULAR ORIENTATION AND ANCHORING ENERGY AT THE NEMATIC-ISOTROPIC INTERFACE OF 7CB.

The properties of the nematic-isotropic interface of the nematic liquid crystal 7CB are studied by optical reflectometry. It is found that at the interface the director is tilted with respect to the vertical axis. Measurements are reported of the tilt angle theta //t, of the thickness of the interface, and of the anchoring energy.