Phase-ordering dynamics of nematic liquid crystals

Abstract

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 ${\mathit{k}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\chi}}}$, with \ensuremath{\chi}=4.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1 for d=2 and \ensuremath{\chi}=5.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}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)\ensuremath{\sim}${\mathit{t}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\varphi}}}$, with \ensuremath{\varphi}=0.44\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01.