Abstract: Nematic droplets are studied with Monte Carlo simulation in a spatially anisotropic molecular pair potential model. The potential is based on a lattice model and dependent on elastic constants of liquid crystals. We assume that nematic droplet surface is a free surface and introduce tangent-introrse intensity to quantitatively describe intrinsic anchoring induced by surface. The tangent-introrse intensity and the second order parameters in different regions of droplets at low temperature are calculated by two schemes with spatially anisotropic potential and are compared with those in Lebwohl-Lasher model. Only one scheme can give intrinsic easy axis near droplets surface and introrse intensity is related to K₃₃/K₁₁. The degree of nematic order in the vicinity of droplet surface becomes lower from inner shell to outer shell due to incomplete anisotropic nematic-nematic interactions.

Key words: spatially anisotropic pair potential, Monte Carlo simulation, nematic droplets, free surface