Symmetric alignment of the nematic matrix between close penetrable colloidal particles

A simple model is proposed for the liquid crystal matrix surrounding 'soft' colloidal particles whose separation is much smaller than their radii. We use our implementation of the Onsager approximation of density-functional theory (Chrzanowska et al 2001 J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 13 4715) to calculate the structure of a nanometrically thin film of hard Gaussian overlap particles of elongations K = 3 and 5, confined between two solid walls. The penetrability of either substrate can be tuned independently to yield symmetric or hybrid alignment. Comparison with Monte Carlo simulations of the same system (Cleaver and Teixeira 2001 Chem. Phys. Lett. 338 1, Barmes and Cleaver 2004 in preparation) reveals good agreement in the symmetric case.