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Soumen Kumar Roy

Publications and source records attributed to Soumen Kumar Roy.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

"Ultra-weak" First-Order Phase Transition in Biaxial Liquid Crystals

We report high-resolution Monte Carlo evidence characterizing the hierarchy of transition strengths in biaxial nematogens. By employing multiple histogram reweighting on large lattices, we demonstrate that while the isotropic-to-uniaxial ($I \to N_U$) transition is symmetry-enforced first-order, the uniaxial-to-biaxial ($N_U \to N_B$) transition in the region between the tricritical point and the triple point ($\lambda = 0.26$) is proximity-driven and more than an order of magnitude smaller for large system sizes. Such a class of ultra-weak first-order transitions could be a new pathway for future investigations.

cond-mat.soft

A Molecular Field Approach to Pressure Induced Phase Transitions in Liquid Crystals : Smectic-Nematic transition

Since a rigorous microscopic treatment of a nematic fluid system based on a pairwise interaction potential is immensely complex we had introduced a simple mean field potential which was a modification of the Maier-Saupe potential in a previous paper. Building up on that here we have modified that potential to take into account the various aspects of a smectic A-nematic phase transition. In particular we have studied the dependence of the phase transition on the coupling coefficient between the nematic and smectic order parameters which in turn depends on the length of alkyl chain, existence of tricritical point, variation of entropy and specific heat as well as the dependence of the phase transition on pressure.

cond-mat.soft

High accuracy Monte Carlo study of dispersion model of biaxial liquid crystals

We present a high accuracy Monte Carlo simulation study of the Isotropic - Nematic phase transition of a lattice dispersion model of biaxial liquid crystals. The NI coexistence curve terminating at the Landau critical point have been determined using multiple histogram reweighting technique. A close investigation reveals a sharp departure in the nature of the $N$-$I$ coexistence curve in temperature- biaxiality parameter phase diagram in comparison to the earlier theoretical (either mean-field or computer simulation) predictions.The coexitence curve shows a change in curvature with increasing value of the degree molecular biaxiality.

cond-mat.soft

Effect of an external magnetic field on the nematic-isotropic phase transition in mesogenic systems of uniaxial and biaxial molecules

Influence of an external magnetic field on the nematic-isotropic ($N-I$) phase transition in a dispersion model of nematic liquid crystals, where the molecules are either perfectly uniaxial or biaxial (board-like), has been studied by Monte Carlo simulation. Using multiple histogram reweighting technique and finite size scaling analysis the order of the phase transition, the transition temperature at the thermodynamic limit and the stability limit of the isotropic phase below the transition temperature for different magnetic field strengths have been determined. The magnetic field dependence of the shift in $N-I$ transition temperature is observed to be more rapid than that predicted by the standard Landau-de Gennes and Maier-Saupe mean field theories. We have shown that for a given field strength the shift in the transition temperature is higher for the biaxial molecules in comparison with the uniaxial case. The study shows that the $N-I$ transition for the biaxial molecules is weaker than the well known weak first order $N-I$ transition for the uniaxial molecules and the presence of the external magnetic field (up to a certain critical value) makes the transition much more weaker for both the systems. The estimate of the critical magnetic field ($\sim 110 T$) for the common nematics is found to be smaller than the earlier estimates.

cond-mat.soft

Importance of transverse dipoles in the stability of biaxial nematic phase: A Monte Carlo study

Monte Carlo simulation performed on a lattice system of biaxial molecules possessing $D_{2h}$ symmetry and interacting with a second rank anisotropic dispersion potential yields three distinct macroscopic phases depending on the biaxiality of the constituent molecules. The phase diagram of such a system as a function of molecular biaxiality is greatly modified when a transverse dipole is considered to be associated with each molecule so that the symmetry is reduced to $C_{2v}$. Our results indicate the splitting of the Landau point i.e. the point in the phase diagram where a direct transition from the isotropic phase to the biaxial nematic phase occurs, into a Landau line for a system of biaxial molecules with strong transverse dipoles. The width of the Landau line becomes maximum for an optimal value of the relative dipolar strength. The presence of transverse dipoles leads to the stabilization of the thermotropic biaxial nematic phase at higher temperature and for a range of values of molecular biaxiality. The structural properties in the uniaxial and biaxial phases are investigated by evaluating the first rank and second rank orientational correlation functions. The dipole induced long range order of the anti-ferroelectric structure in the biaxial nematic phase, is revealed.

cond-mat.soft

Monte Carlo simulation of joint density of states of two continuous spin models using Wang-Landau-Transition-Matrix Algorithm

Monte Carlo simulation has been performed in one-dimensional Lebwohl-Lasher model and two dimensional XY-model using the Wang-Landau and the Wang-Landau-Transition-Matrix Monte Carlo methods. Random walk has been performed in the two-dimensional space comprising of energy-order parameter and energy-correlation function and the joint density of states (JDOS) were obtained. From the JDOS the order parameter, susceptibility and correlation function are calculated. Agreement between the results obtained from the two algorithms is very good.

cond-mat.stat-mech

Local and global persistence exponents of two quenched continuous lattice spin models

Local and global persistence exponents associated with zero temperature quenched dynamics of two dimensional XY model and three dimensional Heisenberg model have been estimated using numerical simulations. We have used the method of block persistence to find both global and local exponents simultaneously (in a single simulation). Temperature universality of both the exponents for three dimensional Heisenberg model has been confirmed by simulating the stochastic (with noise) version of the equation of motion. The noise amplitudes added were small enough to retain the dynamics below criticality. In the second part of our work we have studied scaling associated with correlated persistence sites in the three dimensional Heisenberg model in the later stages of the dynamics. The relevant length scale associated with correlated persistent sites was found to behave in a manner similar to the dynamic length scale associated with the phase ordering dynamics.

cond-mat.stat-mech

Role of topological defects in the phase transition of modified XY model : A Monte Carlo study

Monte Carlo simulation has been performed on a classical two dimensional XY- model with a modified form of interaction potential to investigate the role of topological defects on the phase transition exhibited by the model. In simulations in a restricted ensemble without defects, the system appears to remain ordered at all temperatures. Suppression of topological defects on the square plaquettes in the modified XY- model leads to complete elimination of the phase transition observed in this model.

cond-mat.stat-mech

Finite size scaling and first order phase transition in a modified XY-model

Monte Carlo simulation has been performed in a two-dimensional modified XY-model first proposed by Domany et. al [E. Domany, M. Schick and R. H. Swendsen, Phys. Rev. Lett. 52, 1535 (1984)]. The cluster algorithm of Wolff has been used and multiple histogram reweighting is performed. The first order scaling behavior of the quantities like specific heat, order parameter susceptibility and free energy barrier are found to be obeyed accurately. While the lowest order correlation function was found to decay to zero at long distance just above the transition, the next higher order correlation function shows a non-zero plateau.

cond-mat.stat-mech

Computer simulation of two continuous spin models using Wang-Landau-Transition-Matrix Monte Carlo Algorithm

Monte Carlo simulation using a combination of Wang Landau (WL) and Transition Matrix (TM) Monte Carlo algorithms to simulate two lattice spin models with continuous energy is described. One of the models, the one dimensional Lebwohl-Lasher model has an exact solution and we have used this to test the performance of the mixed algorithm (WLTM). The other system we have worked on is the two dimensional XY-model. The purpose of the present work is to test the performance of the WLTM algorithm in continuous models and to suggest methods for obtaining best results in such systems using this algorithm.

cond-mat.stat-mech

Persistence Exponents and Scaling In Two Dimensional XY model and A Nematic Model

The persistence exponents associated with the T=0 quenching dynamics of the two dimensional XY model and a two dimensional uniaxial spin nematic model have been evaluated using a numerical simulation. The site persistence or the probability that the sign of a local spin component does not change starting from initial time t=0 up to certain time t, is found to decay as L(t)^-theta, (L(t) is the linear domain length scale), with theta =0.305 for the two dimensional XY model and 0.199 for the two dimensional uniaxial spin nematic model. We have also investigated the scaling (at the late time of phase ordering) associated with the correlated persistent sites in both models. The persistence correlation length was found to grow in same way as L(t).

cond-mat.stat-mech

Phase Transitions In Two Planar Lattice Models And Topological Defects: A Monte Carlo Study

Monte Carlo simulation has been performed in the planar P(_{2}) and P(_{4}) models to investigate the effects of the suppression of topological defects on the phase transition exhibited by these models. Suppression of the 1/2-defects on the square plaquettes in the P(_{2}) model leads to complete elimination of the phase transition observed in this model. However in the P(_{4}) model, on suppressing the single 1/2-defects on square plaquettes, the otherwise first order phase transition changes to a second order one which occurs at a higher temperature and this is due to presence of large number of 1/2-pair defects which are left within the square plaquettes. When we suppressed these charges too, complete elimination of phase transition was observed.

cond-mat.stat-mech

Dynamical Scaling In Two Dimensional Quenched Uniaxial Nematic Liquid Crystals

The phase ordering kinetics of the two-dimensional uniaxial nematic has been studied using a Cell Dynamic Scheme. The system after quench from T=infinity was found to scale dynamically with an asymptotic growth law similar to that of two-dimensional O(2) model (quenched from above the Kosterlitz - Thouless transition temperature), i.e. L(t) ~ t/ln(t/t0 ^{1/2} (with nonuniversal time scale t0). We obtained the true asymptotic limit of the growth law by performing our simulation for sufficiently long time. The presence of topologically stable 1/2-disclination points is reflected in the observed large-momentum dependence k ^{-4} of the structure factor. The correlation function was also found to tally with the theoretical prediction of the correlation function for the two-dimensional O(2) system.

cond-mat.stat-mech

The bend elastic constant in a mixture of (4,4')-n-octyl-cyanobiphenyl and biphenyl

The effect of a rigid, non-polar and nonmesogenic solute biphenyl ((C_{6}H_{5}-C_{6}H_{5})) on the divergence of the bend elastic constant K_{33} of (4,4^{\prime}) -n-octyl-cyanobiphenyl (8CB) near the smecticA-nematic transition is reported. The exponent decreases from about 1.0 to 0.67 as the concentration of biphenyl increases. The temperature at which the divergence takes place is about 0.5 to 1.0K higher than the transition temperature T_{AN} >. A simple calculation based on Landau theory is presented to explore the possibilities of the existence of a biphenyl induced tricritical point.

cond-mat.soft

Effect of a rigid nonpolar solute on the splay, bend elastic constants and on rotational viscosity coefficient of 4-4^\prime -n-octyl-cyanobiphenyl

The effect of a rigid nonpolar non-mesogenic solute, ``biphenyl'' which is (C_{6}H_{5}-C_{6}H_{5}), on the splay and bend elastic constants and on the rotational viscosity coefficient of (4,4^{\prime})-n-octyl-cyano biphenyl (8CB) is reported. The experiments involve the measurement of voltage dependence of capacitance of a cell filled with the mixture. Anomalous behavior of both (K_{11}) and (Δε) near the (N-S_{A}) transition have been observed.

cond-mat.soft

Study Of A Planar Lattice Model With $P_4$ Interaction

A planar square lattice model with 3-d spins interacting with nearest neighbours through a potential -$εP_4 (cos θ_{ij})$ is studied by Monte Carlo technique. Lattice sizes from 10$\times$10 to 30$\times$30 are considered for calculating various thermodynamic averages. A 80$\times$80 lattice has been used to obtain the pair correlation function. To accurately ascertain the order of the phase transition the Ferrenberg-Swendsen technique has been used on a 120$\times$120 lattice. Our study predicts that the system exhibits a first order phase transition which is confirmed by the twin-peaked nature of the distribution function. The pair correlation function shows an algebraic decay at low temperatures and an exponential decay at high temperatures. Mean field and Two-site Cluster calculations have also been performed and the latter is found to predict the thermodynamic averages fairly accurately.

cond-mat.soft