Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 13, 2026

High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal
Published on: October 31, 2019
Nematic director fields and topographies of solid shells of revolution
Mark Warner1, Cyrus Mostajeran2
1Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, 19 JJ Thomson Avenue, Cambridge CB3 0HE, UK.
Abstract:
We solve the forward and inverse problems associated with the transformation of flat sheets with circularly symmetric director fields to surfaces of revolution with non-trivial topography, including Gaussian curvature, without a stretch elastic cost. We deal with systems slender enough to have a small bend energy cost. Shape change is induced by light or heat causing contraction along a non-uniform director field in the plane of an initially flat nematic sheet. The forward problem is, given a director distribution, what shape is induced? Along the way, we determine the Gaussian curvature and the evolution with induced mechanical deformation of the director field and of material curves in the surface (proto-radii) that will become radii in the final surface. The inverse problem is, given a target shape, what director field does one need to specify? Analytic examples of director fields are fully calculated that will, for specific deformations, yield catenoids and paraboloids of revolution. The general prescription is given in terms of an integral equation and yields a method that is generally applicable to surfaces of revolution.
Related Concept Videos
Volumes of Solids of Revolution
Area of a Surface of Revolution
Methods of Obtaining Topography
Centroid for the Paraboloid of Revolution
The centroid for the paraboloid of revolution is the point where all the mass of the paraboloid is concentrated. This centroid is important for engineering applications, as it determines how forces are...
Metallic Solids
All metallic solids exhibit high thermal and electrical conductivity, metallic luster, and malleability....
Structures of Solids

