Influence of boundary conditions on the order and defects of biaxial nematic droplets

C. Chiccoli, L. R. Evangelista, P. Pasini, G. Skačej, R. Teixeira de Souza, and C. Zannoni
Phys. Rev. E 100, 032702 – Published 3 September 2019

Abstract

We employ Monte Carlo simulations to study the defects occurring in a nematic droplet formed by biaxial molecules. The simulations are carried out using a lattice model based on a dispersive orientational biaxial potential previously employed to establish the rich phase diagram of the system. The focus of the present investigation is on the molecular organization inside the droplet when bipolar and toroidal anchoring conditions at the surface are considered. In both cases, we describe how the defect structure arises in the system, and we analyze the behavior of the defect core region in connection with the elastic properties of the phase in a continuum theory perspective.

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  • Received 3 June 2019

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.100.032702

©2019 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

General PhysicsCondensed Matter, Materials & Applied PhysicsStatistical Physics & Thermodynamics

Authors & Affiliations

C. Chiccoli1, L. R. Evangelista2,3,*, P. Pasini1, G. Skačej4, R. Teixeira de Souza2,5, and C. Zannoni6

  • 1INFN Sezione di Bologna, Via Irnerio 46, 40126 Bologna, Italy
  • 2Departamento de Física, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Avenida Colombo 5790, 87020-900, Maringá, Paraná, Brazil
  • 3Dipartimento di Scienza Applicata del Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy
  • 4Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, Jadranska 19, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
  • 5Departamento Acadêmico de Física, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná, Campus Apucarana, Rua Marcílio Dias, 635 CEP 86812-460–Apucarana, Paraná, Brazil
  • 6Dipartimento di Chimica Industriale “Toso Montanari,” Università di Bologna and INSTM, Viale Risorgimento 4, I-40136 Bologna, Italy

  • *lre@dfi.uem.br

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Vol. 100, Iss. 3 — September 2019

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