Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Site Tools

  • AAAS
  • Subscribe
  • Feedback

Site Search

Search Advanced

Science 28 November 1997:
Vol. 278. no. 5343, p. 1541
DOI: 10.1126/science.278.5343.1541d
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

This Week in Science

The physics of phase transitions, such as melting, in two-dimensional (2D) systems can differ from that in bulk; theory suggests that a hexagonal crystal, a typical packing, will show an intermediate hexatic phase before melting, but this phase has been difficult to observe. One problem is that defects will distort the packing to orthorhombic, in which case theory predicts that a smectic phase will precede the hexatic phase. Sikes and Schwartz (p. 1604), using high-temperature atomic force microscopy, present evidence for such a smectic phase in supported Langmuir-Blodgett films of fatty acids.

ADVERTISEMENT
Click Me!

ADVERTISEMENT
Click Me!

To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)