Finite-size effects on order reconstruction around nematic defects

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Nematic liquid crystals exhibit complex textures influenced by confinement and boundary conditions.
• Understanding topological defects is crucial for liquid crystal display technology and advanced materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To study the texture of nematic liquid crystals in hybrid cells using Landau-de Gennes theory.
• To analyze the impact of finite-size effects and topological defects on the order reconstruction (OR) configuration.

Main Methods:

• Application of the Landau-de Gennes phenomenological theory.
• Analysis of cylindrically symmetric solutions with topological defects.
• Focus on cells with dimensions comparable to the biaxial correlation length.

Main Results:

• The order reconstruction (OR) configuration can be stable under severe confinement.
• Topological defects are consistently pinned to the negatively uniaxial sheet of the OR structure.
• A ring defect can significantly raise the stability threshold for the OR structure.

Conclusions:

• Finite-size effects play a critical role in determining the stability and structure of confined liquid crystals.
• The interplay between boundary conditions, elastic properties, and defect behavior dictates the observed textures.
• This research provides insights into the fundamental physics of confined liquid crystals and defect stabilization.