Defect-populated configurations in nematic solid tori and cylinders
Physical Review Research, vol. 6
Abstract
We make toroidal droplets of nematic liquid crystal and explore the defect-populated stable configurations that appear after heating to the isotropic phase and cooling back to the nematic phase. These configurations, as confirmed by simulations, are made of defect pairs where the positive/negative defect is located in the region of maximum positive/negative Gaussian curvature. Moreover, we demonstrate through experiments and simulations that these defect pairs also appear and are stable in cylinders, which have zero Gaussian curvature, highlighting the crucial role of bulk nematic elasticity in stabilizing these structures. Published by the American Physical Society 2024
Authors 6
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Condensed Matter Physics, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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Leiden University · Koç University
Affiliation as printed
Department of Physics, Koç University, Rumelifeneri Yolu 34450, Sariyer, Istanbul, Turkey
Instituut-Lorentz, Universiteit Leiden, P.O. Box 9506, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
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Affiliation as printed
Department of Condensed Matter Physics, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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Affiliation as printed
Instituut-Lorentz, Universiteit Leiden, P.O. Box 9506, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
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Affiliation as printed
Instituut-Lorentz, Universiteit Leiden, P.O. Box 9506, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
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Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats · Universitat de Barcelona
Affiliation as printed
Department of Condensed Matter Physics, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
ICREA-Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avancats, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
Institute of Complex Systems (UBICS), University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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