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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Stripe Domain Phase Of A Thin Nematic Film And The K13 Divergence Term, Oleg Lavrentovich, V. M. Pergamenshchik
Stripe Domain Phase Of A Thin Nematic Film And The K13 Divergence Term, Oleg Lavrentovich, V. M. Pergamenshchik
Oleg Lavrentovich
To verify the status of the divergence K13 term in the elastic theory of liquid crystals we study submicron films placed onto an isotropic fluid substrate in the Langmuir trough (Langmuir liquid crystal, LLC). The upper and lower surfaces favor normal and tangential molecular orientation, respectively. The periodic domain phase is observed in a nematic LLC. The dependence of the periodicity L of the domains vs film thickness h can be explained only if the elastic energy is accompanied by divergence terms with nonzero constants K13 and K24. It is found that for 5CB K13 almost-equal-to -0.2K11.
Monte Carlo Simulations Of Stable Point Defects In Hybrid Nematic Films, C. Chiccoli, Oleg Lavrentovich, P. Pasini, C. Zannoni
Monte Carlo Simulations Of Stable Point Defects In Hybrid Nematic Films, C. Chiccoli, Oleg Lavrentovich, P. Pasini, C. Zannoni
Oleg Lavrentovich
Monte Carlo (MC) simulations based exclusively on nearest-neighbor intermolecular interactions reveal the existence of stable long-range deformations and topological defects in a thin nematic film confined between two surfaces with antagonistic (normal and tangential) molecular orientations. Thus the MC technique allows one to describe a delicate balance of bulk elasticity and surface energy usually treated only with macroscopic theories.