Random anisotropy nematic model: connection with experimental systems.
We study theoretically the phase behavior of the continuum Random Anisotropy Nematic model. A domain-type pattern is assumed to appear in a distorted nematic liquid crystal (LC) phase. We map the model parameters to physical quantities characterizing LCs confined to Controlled-Pore Glasses and LC-aerosil dispersions. The domain size dependence on the disorder strength is obtained in accordance with the Imry-Ma prediction. The model estimates for temperature shifts of the paranematic-nematic phase transition and for the critical point, where this transition ceases to exist, are compared to the available experimental results.
Kralj
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Laboratory of Physics of Complex Systems, Faculty of Education, University of Maribor, Koroska 160, 2000, Maribor, Slovenia. samo.kralj@uni-mb.si
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