Molecular-dynamics study of the nematic-isotropic interface

Abstract

We present large-scale molecular-dynamics simulations of a nematic-isotropic interface in a system of repulsive ellipsoidal molecules, focusing in particular on the capillary-wave fluctuations of the interfacial position. The interface anchors the nematic phase in a planar way, i.e., the director aligns parallel to the interface. Capillary waves in the direction parallel and perpendicular to the director are considered separately. We find that the spectrum is anisotropic, the amplitudes of capillary waves being larger in the direction perpendicular to the director. In the long-wavelength limit, however, the spectrum becomes isotropic and compares well with the predictions of a simple capillary-wave theory.