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Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
Published on: May 15, 2017
Phenomenological theory of the direct isotropic to hexatic-B phase transition
Asok K Das1, Prabir K Mukherjee
1Department of Physics, Surendranath College, 24/2 M. G. Road, Kolkata-700 009, India.
Abstract:
Monte Carlo simulation studies have demonstrated the possibility of the first order isotropic to smectic-B phase transition. We present a mean-field description of the direct isotropic to hexatic-B phase transition. We analyze the question under which conditions a direct isotropic to hexatic-B phase transition is possible when compared to other phase transitions. Within this model the direct isotropic to hexatic-B phase transition is found to be always strongly first order than the isotropic to nematic and isotropic to smectic-A phase transitions. The presented analysis is in good agreement with Monte Carlo simulation studies.
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