Abstract
The nature of the orientational phase transition in the three-dimensional Lebwohl-Lasher model of liquid crystals has been studied by computer simulation using reweighting techniques and finite-size scaling analysis. Unambiguous numerical evidence is found in favor of a weak first-order transition and the presence of pseudospinodal points, , which are extremely close to the equilibrium transition temperature, ‖-‖/≲0.5×, in good agreement with experimental data for the nematic-isotropic transition.
- Received 12 June 1992
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.69.2803
©1992 American Physical Society