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A recently introduced method for determining the critical indices of the deconfinement transition in gauge theories, already tested for the case of 3D SU(3) pure gauge theory, is applied here to 4D SU(2) pure gauge theory. The method is inspired by universality and based on the finite size scaling behavior of the expectation value of simple lattice operators, such as the plaquette. We obtain an accurate determination of the critical index ν, in agreement with the prediction of the Svetitsky-Yaffe conjecture.

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This work is aimed to the photopolarimetric characterization of the disorder evolution occurring in homeotropically aligned nematic liquid crystal films during the electrically induced Fréedericksz transition. The molecular director dynamics and the transversal reorientation modes are investigated by the analysis of the depolarization of the light beam emerging from the sample. Our measurements reveal unexpected depolarization effects at the transition, which we interpret in terms of director field unhomogeneity and defects creation.