MOLECULAR-DYNAMICS SIMULATIONS OF SURFACE-INDUCED ORDERING IN A NEMATIC LIQUID-CRYSTAL

By means of a molecular dynamics simulation, we show that a uniaxial n ematic liquid crystal may exhibit an unusual ordering that appears wit hin a few molecular lengths from a rough surface. In contact with the surface, a smectic-C layering is induced. Moving towards the bulk, the smectic order disappears and a decrease of the uniaxial orientational order below the bulk value occurs. The intermediate region between th e surface-induced smectic-C ordering and the bulk nematic is character ized by a considerable degree of biaxiality. Correspondingly, the dire ctor orientation undergoes a strong distortion close to the surface.