Bulk liquid crystal alignment can be completely determined by the orientational distribution of the surface monolayer. The bulk pretilt angles predicted from the measured monolayer orientational distribution using the Landau-de Gennes formalism agree very well with the observed values. Surface anchoring energies can also be estimated.

• Received 17 June 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.73.1513