Skyrmions in blue phases of chiral liquid crystals

Jaka Pišljar (Avtor), Matevž Marinčič (Avtor), Sharmistha Ghosh (Avtor), Srikanth Turlapati (Avtor), Nandiraju V. S. Rao (Avtor), Andriy Nych (Avtor), Miha Škarabot (Avtor), Alenka Mertelj (Avtor), Andrej Petelin (Avtor), Anja Bregar (Avtor), Miha Ravnik (Avtor), Igor Muševič (Avtor)

Povzetek

Using high-resolution microscope observations, we show that both the static cubic (BPI) and the dynamic amorphous (BPIII) blue phases consist of fractional skyrmion filaments that transform into the same quasi two-dimensional structure of ‘baby’ half-skyrmions upon confinement to ultra-thin layers. We confirm this using numerical simulations of BPIII skyrmion structures in confinement combined with optical simulations, which reproduce experimental images, shown to originate at the glass-sample boundaries. Chiral nature of skyrmion filaments is demonstrated through experimental observations and optical simulations using circularly polarised light of opposite handedness producing images that vary strongly in comparative optical contrast. Direct observations and light scattering measurements of BPIII dynamics in bulk reveal that it is a highly dynamic phase, distinguished by two well-separated dynamic regimes, the slower of which can be observed even with a naked eye. We show that the slow dynamics corresponds to the thermally driven collective reshaping of the amorphous structure, while the fast mode is due to the director fluctuations within the filaments. Chirality of the relaxation modes in the bulk isotropic phase is also demonstrated and discussed. We show the dynamics in thinnest layers still show a two phase behaviour, with overall dynamics of half-skyrmions dramatically slowed down.

Ključne besede

tekoči kristali;kiralni nematiki;modre faze;skirmioni;liquid crystals;chiral nematics;blue phases;skyrmions;

Podatki

Jezik:	Angleški jezik
Leto izida:	2023
Tipologija:	1.08 - Objavljeni znanstveni prispevek na konferenci
Organizacija:	UL FMF - Fakulteta za matematiko in fiziko
Založnik:	Taylor & Francis
UDK:	538.9
COBISS:	147562243
ISSN:	1366-5855
Št. ogledov:	27
Št. prenosov:	5
Ocena:	0 (0 glasov)
Metapodatki:

Ostali podatki

Sekundarni jezik:	Slovenski jezik
Sekundarne ključne besede:	tekoči kristali;kiralni nematiki;modre faze;skirmioni;
Vrsta dela (COBISS):	Članek v reviji
Komentar vira:	Nasl. z nasl. zaslona; Soavtorji: M. Marinčič, S. Ghosh, S. Turlapati, Rao Nandiraju, A. Nych, M. Škarabot, A. Mertelj, A. Petelin, A. Pusovnik, M. Ravnik, I. Muševič; Opis vira z dne 10. 1. 2024;
Strani:	str. 1406–1425
Letnik:	ǂVol. ǂ50
Zvezek:	ǂiss. ǂ7/10
Čas izdaje:	2023
DOI:	10.1080/02678292.2023.2188613
ID:	26375678