Competition between local disordering and global ordering fields in nematic liquid crystals

Matej Cvetko (Author), Milan Ambrožič (Author), Samo Kralj (Author)

Abstract

We study the influence of external electric or magnetic field B on orientational ordering of nematic liquid crystals or of other rod-like objects (e.g. nanotubes immersed in a liquid) in the presence of random anisotropy field type of disorder. The Lebwohl-Lasher lattice type of semi-microscopic approach is used at zero temperature. Therefore, results are valid well below the transition into the isotropic phase. We calculate the correlation function of systems as a function of B, concentration p of impurities imposing random anisotropy field disorder, the disorder strength W and system dimensionality (2D and 3D systems). In order to probe memory effects we calculate correlation length ▫$\xi$▫ for random and homogeneous initial configurations. We determine the crossover fields Bc(p) separating roughly the ordered and disordered regime. Memory effects are apparent only in the latter case, i.e. for B < Bc.

Keywords

tekoči kristali;spomin;nered;liquid crystals;memory effect;disorder;

Data

Language:	English
Year of publishing:	2010
Typology:	1.01 - Original Scientific Article
Organization:	UM FNM - Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
UDC:	620.1/.2
COBISS:	17410312
ISSN:	Y506-6603
Views:	1895
Downloads:	357
Average score:	0 (0 votes)
Metadata:

Other data

Secondary language:	Slovenian
Secondary keywords:	nered;teorem Imry-Ma;tekoči kristali;spomin;orientacijski red;
URN:	URN:SI:UM:
Type (COBISS):	Scientific work
Pages:	str. 1-14
Volume:	ǂVol. ǂ6
Issue:	ǂno. ǂ2
Chronology:	2010
DOI:	10.3762/bjoc.6.2
ID:	8723831