Inferring the Isotropic-Nematic Phase Transition with Generative Machine Learning
Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 068102 – Published 6 August, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/1wdj-ym3s
Abstract
Generative machine learning models are capable of learning the phase behavior in condensed matter systems such as the Ising model. We utilize a score-based modeling procedure called thermodynamic maps to describe the isotropic-nematic phase transition in a melt of Gay-Berne ellipsoids. When trained on samples from a single temperature on either side of the phase transition, this generative machine learning approach infers effectively the nematic order parameter at intermediate temperatures. These results demonstrate score-based models’ ability to learn the physics of a nontrivial liquid crystal phase transition.