Soft Matter and Complex Systems Seminar

Density functional theory (DFT) for systems with competinginteractions leading to self-assembly into clusters, networks orlayers is constructed. The contribution to the grand thermodynamicpotential associated with mesoscopic fluctuations is explicitly takeninto account. The expression for this contribution is obtained by themethods known from the Brazovskii field theory. In addition, wedevelop a simplified version of the theory valid for weakly orderedphases, i.e. for the high -T part of the phase diagram. The simplifiedtheory is verified by a comparison with the results of simulations fora particular version of the short-range attraction long-rangerepulsion (SALR) interaction potential. The physical interpretation ofthe fluctuation-contribution to the grand potential is discussed.