Effect of cross-coupling on the phase behavior in a biaxial nematic: Insights from Monte Carlo studies

TL;DR

This study uses Monte Carlo simulations to explore how cross-coupling influences phase transitions in biaxial nematic liquid crystals, revealing an intermediate uniaxial phase with low biaxiality.

Contribution

It provides new insights into phase sequences and the existence of an intermediate uniaxial phase in biaxial nematics through advanced sampling methods.

Findings

Existence of an intermediate uniaxial phase with low biaxiality

Phase sequence from isotropic to biaxial nematic includes this intermediate phase

Monte Carlo Wang Landau sampling effectively studies phase behavior

Abstract

Phase sequences of the biaxial nematic liquid crystal in the interior of the essential triangle are studied with Wang Landau sampling. The evidence points to the existence of an intermediate unixial phase with low biaxiality in the isotropic to biaxial nematic phase sequence.