Finite-size effects on order reconstruction around nematic defects

Samo Kralj (Avtor), Riccardo Rosso (Avtor), Epifanio G. Virga (Avtor)

Povzetek

By use of the Landau-de Gennes phenomenological theory, we study the texture of a nematic liquid crystal confined within a hybrid cell. Precisely, we consider cylindrically symmetric solutions containing topological defects dictated by appropriate boundary conditions. We focus our attention on cells whose dimensions are comparable with the biaxial correlation length ▫$\xi_b$▫. For such severe confinements the order reconstruction (OR) configuration could be stable. Its structural details reflect the balance among boundary-enforced frustration, elastic penalties, and finite-size effects. In particular, we analyze the interplay between finite-size effects and topological defects. We show that defects are always pinned to the negatively (planar) uniaxial sheet of the OR structure. The presence of a ring defect can dramatically increase the critical threshold below which the OR structure is stable.

Ključne besede

fizika;tekoči kristali;nematični kristali;nematični defekti;strukturni prehodi;physics;liquid crystals;nematic crystals;nematic defects;structural transitions;

Podatki

Jezik:	Angleški jezik
Leto izida:	2010
Tipologija:	1.01 - Izvirni znanstveni članek
Organizacija:	UM FNM - Fakulteta za naravoslovje in matematiko
UDK:	532.783
COBISS:	17429000
ISSN:	1539-3755
Št. ogledov:	1587
Št. prenosov:	82
Ocena:	0 (0 glasov)
Metapodatki:

Ostali podatki

Sekundarni jezik:	Angleški jezik
Sekundarne ključne besede:	fizika;tekoči kristali;nematični kristali;nematični defekti;strukturni prehodi;
URN:	URN:SI:UM:
Strani:	str. 021702-1-021702-15
Letnik:	ǂVol. ǂ81
Zvezek:	ǂno. ǂ2
Čas izdaje:	2010
DOI:	10.1103/PhysRevE.81.021702
ID:	8723833