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Positron annihilation studies of liquid crystals are reviewed with particular reference to thermotropic liquid crystals with rod-like molecules. The studies of compounds exhibiting smectic A or smectic E phases indicate that local arrangement of dipole molecules play an important role because high electron density at the end group of molecules can influence substantially formation and annihilation of positronium. The obtained ortho-positronium lifetimes in these phases can be explained by antiparallel pairing of molecules in case of the smectic A phase or a structure with a nanosegregation of alkyl chains and others parts of molecules into sublayers and liquid-like state of alkyl chains in case of the smectic E phase.

Positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) has been used to study the annealing behavior of cold rolled Fe – 21 wt% Mn steel with 0.05 wt% C. After the initial annealing of defects shown by Doppler broadening of the annihilation line, a slight increase in the annihilation line shape parameter, i.e., the so-called S parameter and then its decrease in the temperature range between 225°C and 450°C indicates generation of new defects and their subsequent annealing. This temperature range coincides with X-ray diffraction measurements, which indicate reversion of deformation-induced ε-martensite. However, for annealing in this temperature range with slow cooling of the sample, the formation of ferrite already starts. The results are compared with our previous results for deformed austenitic stainless steel 1.4301 (EN) where only reversion of deformation-induced α′-martensite was detected.