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Two new topologically ordered glass phases of smectics confined in anisotropic random media

Brad Jacobsen, Karl Saunders, Leo Radzihovsky, John Toner

cond-mat.softarXiv:cond-mat/9903290

Abstract

We show that smectic liquid crystals confined inanisotropic porous structures such as e.g.,strained aerogel or aerosil exhibit two new glassy phases. The strain both ensures the stability of these phases and determines their nature. One type of strain induces an ``XY Bragg glass'', while the other creates a novel, triaxially anisotropic ``m=1 Bragg glass''. The latter exhibits anomalous elasticity, characterized by exponents that we calculate to high precision. We predict the phase diagram for the system, and numerous other experimental observables.

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