Dielectric shape dispersion and biaxial transitions in nematic liquid crystals.
Using two order tensors, we propose a mean-field model to describe the uniaxial and biaxial phases of nematogenic molecules presenting a shape dispersion of their biaxial dielectric susceptibility. We recover the classical isotropic-uniaxial-biaxial sequence of phases. The phase diagram exhibits a tricritical point, a feature that cannot be retraced in the other mean-field models established for molecules without shape dispersion.
Sonnet
André M
AM
Department of Mathematics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland.
Virga
Epifanio G
EG
Durand
Georges E
GE