Eur. Phys. J. E (2013) 36: 122
https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2013-13122-0

Regular Article

Phase ordering kinetics in uniaxial nematic liquid crystals with second- and fourth-rank interactions

Department of Physics, Banaras Hindu University, 221005, Varanasi, India

^* e-mail: srisingh23@gmail.com

Received: 5 October 2012
Revised: 10 July 2013
Accepted: 8 October 2013
Published online: 28 October 2013

Abstract

We present comprehensive results of the Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of the phase ordering dynamics in d = 2 nematic liquid crystals. We study a system of size N ²(N = 512) with molecules confined to a 512×512 square lattice and report the results for two LC Hamiltonians: generalized Lebwohl-Lasher (GLL) model and r^-6 dependent anisotropic dispersion interaction potential. In these Hamiltonians a fourth-rank Legendre polynomial P₄ interaction term is added to the usual second-rank P₂ term. We find that in both the cases the presence of the P₄ interaction term significantly influences the nematic domains morphology. Our numerical data show a diffusive growth law with a logarithmic correction: L(t) ∼ (t/ln t)^1/2 .