Effects of Disorder on a Smectic-A-nematic Phase Transition
Using x-ray scattering, we have studied the nematic to smectic-A phase transition of the liquid crystal butyloxybenzilidene-octylaniline confined in an aerosil network. We find that the disorder introduced by the aerosil network destroys the long-range nature of the phase transition, and that the transition becomes similar to that observed in a finite-size system, with finite low-temperature correlation lengths of the ordered moments and a power-law behavior of the order parameter with respect to the reduced temperature observable in a limited temperature range. We also show evidence for a systematic evolution of the effective order parameter critical exponent {beta} with increasing disorder.
- Research Organization:
- Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) National Synchrotron Light Source
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Doe - Office Of Science
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-98CH10886
- OSTI ID:
- 914225
- Report Number(s):
- BNL--78793-2007-JA
- Journal Information:
- Phys. Rev. E, Journal Name: Phys. Rev. E Vol. 73; ISSN PLEEE8; ISSN 1063-651X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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