Molecular dynamics simulations of surface-induced ordering in a nematic liquid crystal
- 1 January 1997
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review E
- Vol. 55 (1), 477-480
- https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.55.477
Abstract
By means of a molecular dynamics simulation, we show that a uniaxial nematic liquid crystal may exhibit an unusual ordering that appears within a few molecular lengths from a rough surface. In contact with the surface, a smectic-C layering is induced. Moving towards the bulk, the smectic order disappears and a decrease of the uniaxial orientational order below the bulk value occurs. The intermediate region between the surface-induced smectic-C ordering and the bulk nematic is characterized by a considerable degree of biaxiality. Correspondingly, the director orientation undergoes a strong distortion close to the surface.Keywords
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