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Frank's constant in the hexatic phase

P. Keim, G. Maret, H. H. von Gruenberg

cond-mat.softarXiv:cond-mat/0610332

Abstract

Using video-microscopy data of a two-dimensional colloidal system the bond-order correlation function G6 is calculated and used to determine the temperature-dependence of both the orientational correlation length xi6 in the isotropic liquid phase and the Frank constant FA in the hexatic phase. FA takes the value 72/pi at the hexatic to isotropic liquid phase transition and diverges at the hexatic to crystal transition as predicted by the KTHNY-theory. This is a quantitative test of the mechanism of breaking the orientational symmetry by disclination unbinding.

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