A Landau-De Gennes Theory of the Nematic Liquid Crystal Surface

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Abstract
The Landau-de Gennes expression of the free energy density for a nematic liquid crystal system is extended to incorporate interfacial effects. It is found that qualitative descriptions of the pre and post-transitional contributions to the orientational component of the surface tension are obtained which are in good agreement with experiment. In all cases it is found that the surface is characterized by a critical divergence of its interficial thickness in the vicinity of the nematicisotropic transition. This effect appears not to have been previously reported and would seem essential in any adequate description of the liquid crystal surface.

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