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
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 .
Key words: Soft Matter: Liquid crystals
© EDP Sciences, SIF, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2013