Comparative study of size effects in solid and liquid films

We consider the behaviour, near a second order phase transition, of superconducting, superfluid and nematic liquid-crystal films, subject to various boundary conditions. A comparative study of size effects in these several types of films leads to considerable physical insight, and we find their general properties at least qualitatively described by a mean-field model—the Landau theory of second order transitions. We mention a few applications of the observed phenomena, and touch upon further areas where a similar approach may prove fruitful.