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arXiv · 1112.3296

Smectic-glass transition in a liquid crystal cell with a "dirty" substrate

Quan Zhang·Leo Radzihovsky
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Abstract

We explore the smectic liquid crystal order in a cell with a "dirty" substrate imposing random pinnings. Within harmonic elasticity we find a subtle three-dimensional surface disorder-driven transition into a pinned smectic-glass, controlled by a three-dimensional Cardy-Ostlund-like fixed line, akin to a super-rough phase of a two-dimensional xy model. We compute the associated random substrate-driven distortions of the smectic-glass state, identify the characteristic length scales on the heterogeneous substrate and in the bulk, and discuss a variety of experimental signatures.

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Quan Zhang, Leo Radzihovsky. 2012-06-13. Smectic-glass transition in a liquid crystal cell with a "dirty" substrate. https://doi.org/10.1209/0295-5075%2F98%2F56007

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