title: Propagating director bend fluctuations in nematic liquid crystals.
abstract: We show, by molecular simulation, that for a range of standard, coarse-grained, nematic liquid crystal models, the director bend fluctuation is a propagating mode. This is in contrast to the generally accepted picture of nematic hydrodynamics, in which all the director modes (splay, twist, bend, and combinations thereof) are overdamped. By considering the various physical parameters that enter the equations of nematodynamics, we propose an explanation of this effect and conclude that propagating bend fluctuations may be observable in some experimental systems.
authors: Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom.
authors: Anja
authors: A
authors: Humpert
authors: Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom and H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory, Royal Fort, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TL, United Kingdom.
authors: Michael P
authors: MP
authors: Allen