CRITICAL-BEHAVIOR OF NEMATIC LIQUID-CRYSTALS IN OBLIQUE MAGNETIC-FIELDS

The static critical behaviour of a bulk nematic liquid crystal sample in an oblique magnetic held is analysed. When a magnetic field is appl ied at a suitable angle a with respect to the initially homogeneous ne matic director, a spatially inhomogeneous director pattern can be form ed. The transition to the deformed state and the formation of walls be tween the domains resulting from the two equally stable configurations above the transition are studied. The width of the walls is found to diverge at the transition. The critical exponents corresponding to the transition and wall formation are shown to be characteristic of a mea n held second order phase transition.