Phase-ordering dynamics of nematic liquid crystals

We study phase ordering in nematic liquid crystals using cell-dynamics simulations for d=2, n=2, and d=3, n=3. The tail in the structure function decays as ${\mathit{k}}^{\mathrm{-}\mathrm{\chi }}$, with χ=4.0±0.1 for d=2 and χ=5.3±0.1 for d=3. We compare these values to results of Bray and Puri [Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 99 (1992)] for a vector order parameter and to experimental measurements. For the d=3 system the characteristic length scale in the system varies as L(t)∼${\mathit{t}}^{\mathrm{\phi }}$, with φ=0.44±0.01.