Dendritic morphology in homeotropically aligned discotic films

A hexa-alkylether-substituted hexa-peri-hexobenzocoronene, as a discotic liquid crystal, spontaneously homeotropically self-orients when cooled from the isotropic phase. During this process, a dendritic morphology is formed in which a significant optical difference is observed between the dendritic shapes and their periphery. However, local structural analysis using microfocus synchrotron radiation experiments demonstrate that there is an identical supramolecular order in both areas. Three dimensional confocal surface measurements reveal that these dendritic structures result from a dewetting process, which occurs during solidification. Thereby, the contact area between the organic material and the surface is reduced. These results are important of the contact area in an electronic might inhibit the charge transport between the discotic semiconductor and the electrode.