Fig. 3: X-ray diffraction results.

a Transmission powder SAXS curves of Col and Fddd phases of IC³/12 and FCN16. The dominance of (220) and (400) diffraction peaks show that in both compounds the columns pack on a nearly hexagonal lattice. b, c GISAXS patterns of Fddd phase of IC³/12 and FCN16. The background was subtracted and the higher-q zone is intensity-enhanced. The partial reciprocal hk0 lattice plane is superimposed, with some hkl spots in c circled blue and connected to their hk0 base by blue row lines (for calculation see Supplementary Fig. 9). Reflections in c come from two orientations with (110) and (100) planes anchored on Si substrate; reflections in red are from the latter. d Evolution of powder WAXS of FCN16 on heating; note the 3.5 Å peak (q = 1.8 Å⁻¹) in the Fddd and crystal phases. e Real space FCN16: in both orientations the LC faces substrate with a dense plane of columns (unit cell in white).