title: Stringlike clusters and cooperative interlayer permeation in smectic liquid crystals formed by colloidal rods.
abstract: Using simulations of hard rods in smectic-A states, we find stringlike clusters of up to 10 interlayer rods exhibiting dynamic cooperativity. We also find non-gaussian diffusion and heterogeneous dynamics due to the equilibrium periodic smectic density profiles, which give rise to permanent barriers for layer-to-layer diffusion. This relaxation behavior is surprisingly similar to that of nonequilibrium supercooled liquids, although there the particles are trapped in transient (instead of permanent) cages.
authors.affiliation: Soft Condensed Matter, Debye Institute for NanoMaterials Science, Utrecht University, Princetonplein 5, 3584 CC, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patti
authors.forename: Djamel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: El Masri
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Roij
authors.forename: Marjolein
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dijkstra