We study the kinetics of the isotropic-smectic phase transition in a colloidal rod/polymer mixture by visualizing individual smectic layers. First, we show that the bulk isotropic-smectic phase transition is preceded by a surface freezing transition in whi

416,811(2002).

[9]Z.DogicandS.Fraden,Phil.Trans.R.Soc.Lond.A.359,997(2001).

[10]R.Lipowsky,inGenericinteractionsof exiblemembranes.,editedbyR.LipowskyandE.Sack-mann(Elsevier,1995),pp.521–602.

[11]C.Harrison,D.H.Adamson,Z.Cheng,J.M.Se-bastian,S.Sethuraman,D.A.Huse,R.A.Register,andP.M.Chaikin,Science290,1558(2000).

[12]X.Z.Wu,E.B.Sirota,S.K.Sinha,B.M.Ocko,andM.Deutsch,Phys.Rev.Lett.70,958(1993).[13]B.M.Ocko,A.Braslau,P.S.Pershan,J.Als-Nielsen,andM.Deutch,Phys.Rev.Lett.57,94(1986).

[14]D.BoonandD.Ross,Rep.Prog.Phys.64,1085(2001).

[15]S.W.Lee,C.B.Mao,C.E.Flynn,andA.M.Belcher,Science296,892(2002).

[16]J.F.vanderVeen,Surf.Sci.433-435,1(1999).[17]R.W.Cahn,Nature323,668(1986).

[18]ng,J.Phys.Chem.B103,5100(1999).

[19]

E.Sloutskin,E.B.Sirota,H.Kraack,B.M.Ocko,

5

andM.Deutsch,Phys.Rev.E64,031708(2001).[20]E.B.SirotaandA.B.Herhold,Science283,529(1999).

[21]Z.DogicandS.Fraden,Phys.Rev.Lett.78,2417(1997).

[22]S.AsakuraandF.Oosawa,J.Chem.Phys.22(1954).

[23]P.G.Bolhuis,A.Stroobants,D.Frenkel,andH.N.W.Lekkerkerker,J.ChemPhys107,1551(1997).

[24]K.ShundyakandR.vanRoij,Phys.Rev.Lett.88,205501(2002).

[25]Z.DogicandS.Fraden,Langmuir16,7820(2000).[26]achenko,Phys.Rev.Lett.89,148303(2002).

[27]J.Israelechvili,IntermolecularandSurafceForces(AcademicPress,London,1991),2nded.

[28]T.Koda,M.Numajiri,andS.Ikeda,J.Phys.Soc.Jpn.65,3551(1996).

[29]

P.R.tenWolde,M.J.Ruiz-Montero,andD.Frenkel,Phys.Rev.Lett.75,27142717(1995).