Abstract
Spontaneously deformed nematic and antiferroelectric smectic structures have been detected in a two-dimensional system of hard banana-shaped needles by means of Monte Carlo simulation and Onsager theory. The spatially non-uniform and deformed nematic consists of orientationally ordered polar domains, where the nematic director displays mainly bended patterns. The net polarization of the bended nematic is zero. Onsager theory shows that the bent-core structure of the particles favours the bend deformation due to a free energy reducing bend torque, while the splay deformation results in a free energy cost. With increasing pressure the polar nematic domains becomes thinner and transforms into linear arrays with alternating polarity (antiferroelectric smectic phase). The theoretical results are in good agreement with the simulations.
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