title: Bifurcation analysis and computer simulation of biaxial liquid crystals.
abstract: We extend the analysis of a mean-field model for biaxial liquid crystals recently proposed by Sonnet et al. [Phys. Rev. E 67, 061701 (2003)]. In particular, we perform a bifurcation analysis of the equilibrium equations and derive the complete phase diagram. We show that two order parameters suffice to label all equilibrium phases, though they exhibit different bifurcation patterns. A Monte Carlo simulation study is performed as well, confirming qualitatively the predictions of this analysis.
authors.affiliation: Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, I-56126 Pisa, Italy. g.dematteis@sns.it
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Matteis
authors.forename: Silvano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: Epifanio G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Virga