Calculation of the director configuration of nematic liquid crystals by the simulated-anneal method

A new procedure for computing the equilibrium director pattern in a liquid-crystal-display cell subjected to an applied voltage is presented. It uses the simulated-anneal method which is based on the Metropolis Monte Carlo algorithm. The usefulness of the technique is illustrated by the simulation of three representative, but totally different kinds of liquid-crystal devices. © 1988 The American Physical Society