Abstract
We compare the alignment tensor and the director description of a nematic liquid crystal. Both descriptions are derived from an orientational distribution function, and it is shown how the director corresponds to a special alignment that is encompassed by the more general alignment tensor description. A dynamic equation for the alignment tensor is solved numerically for two situations where a director description is insufficient: a cylinder and a sphere with homeotropic strong boundary anchoring.
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© 2001 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
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Sonnet, A.M., Hess, S. (2001). Alignment Tensor Versus Director Description in Nematic Liquid Crystals. In: Lavrentovich, O.D., Pasini, P., Zannoni, C., Žumer, S. (eds) Defects in Liquid Crystals: Computer Simulations, Theory and Experiments. NATO Science Series, vol 43. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0512-8_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-0512-8_2
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
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