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Updated: Apr 25, 2026

Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
Published on: May 15, 2017
Entropic commensurate-incommensurate transition.
Nikolai Nikola1, Daniel Hexner1, Dov Levine1
1Department of Physics, Technion-IIT, 32000 Haifa, Israel.
This study investigates a minimal tiling model, revealing transitions from ordered to disordered states through periodic arrangements. The model
Area of Science:
- Statistical mechanics
- Condensed matter physics
- Materials science
Background:
- Tiling models are used to study complex systems.
- Understanding phase transitions is crucial in physics.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate equilibrium properties of a minimal tiling model.
- Analyze the phase transition from ground state to disordered phase.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of equilibrium properties.
- Investigation of ground state entropy.
- Comparison with Frenkel-Kontorova Hamiltonian.
Main Results:
- The model exhibits extensive ground state entropy with quasiperiodic row sequences.
- Phase transition occurs via periodic arrangements, similar to commensurate-incommensurate transitions.
- Effective free energy resembles Frenkel-Kontorova Hamiltonian with temperature as substrate potential strength.
Conclusions:
- The minimal tiling model provides insights into phase transitions.
- Temperature plays a key role analogous to substrate potential in related models.
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