Liquid crystal cells with gradients in nanometer-scale surface topography have been prepared by sandwiching two hexadecanethiol (C16) self-assembled monolayers between two gold films, one of which had been deposited at a fixed angle of incidence (40degrees), the other at an angle varied from 48degrees to 58degrees (see Figure for micrographs (length = 7 cm) under polarized light with crossed (top) and parallel (bottom) polars).