nematic phase
Quick Summary
In nematic arrangements the crystals are randomly positioned with all their long axes pointing in essentially the same direction, given by a vector known as the director. In smectic arrangements the crystals are further constrained to parallel planes; in smectic A the director is perpendicular to these planes, while in smectic C the director is at some other angle to the planes.
The nematic phase is a state of matter that exists between a crystalline solid and an ordinary liquid. In this phase, molecules are arranged with their long axes parallel to each other, but their positions are disordered, allowing them to flow like a liquid. This unique arrangement breaks rotational symmetry but maintains continuous translational symmetry.12
This phase is characterized by the alignment of molecules along a common axis, known as the director. The nematic phase is crucial for the function of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) found in electronic devices, where the orientation of these molecules can be manipulated by electric fields to control light transmission and create images.1
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