The proposal is to use previous established neutron reflection methods to observe the smectic layers that form at the surface of a nematic liquid crystal. In this proposal we have chosen two difluoroterphenyl liquid crystals. These materials give the opportunity to determine the effect of an underlying tilted phase (smectic C). A molecular tilt of the surface layer will show up a layer thinning. This could lead to a new method for continuous control of the director pretilt since tilt in the surface layer will influence the bulk nematic director. The materials are also ideal for exploring the effect of electric field on the surface smectic layer since the field will tend to remove the surface layering. This will help us understand the director anchoring mechanism in a switching cell.