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A fundamental argument for the smectic-A ordering of parallel hard rods is presented, along with a mean-field calculation that agrees well with the main features of numerical simulations of this system. Smectic-A ordering is attributed to more efficient packing of rods compared with nematic ordering. Above a critical volume fraction, the increased entropy per particle in the smectic-A layers more than compensates for the loss of entropy due to the forming of layers.
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Wen et al. (1987) studied this question.
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