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Optical Textures and Orientational Structures in Cholesteric Droplets with Conical Boundary Conditions
Anna P Gardymova1, Mikhail N Krakhalev1,2, Victor Ya Zyryanov2
1Institute of Engineering Physics and Radio Electronics, Siberian Federal University, 660041 Krasnoyarsk, Russia.
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
|April 16, 2020
Summary
Cholesteric droplets exhibit distinct director configurations based on chirality. The study identifies specific structures, including bipolar and layer-like arrangements, linked to the relative chirality parameter N0.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Soft Matter Physics
- Liquid Crystals
Background:
- Cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs) exhibit unique helical structures.
- Understanding director configurations in confined geometries is crucial for CLC applications.
- Polymer-dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) offer tunable optical properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the director configurations in cholesteric droplets within a polymer matrix.
- To correlate these configurations with varying relative chirality parameters (N0).
- To characterize the defect structures formed under conical boundary conditions.
Main Methods:
- Polarizing microscopy was employed to visualize and identify director configurations.
- The study focused on cholesteric droplets dispersed in a polymer matrix.
- Analysis involved varying the relative chirality parameter (N0) of the droplets.
Main Results:
- An axisymmetric twisted axial-bipolar configuration with a surface circular defect formed at N0 ≤ 2.9.
- An intermediate configuration with a deformed circular defect was observed for 2.9 < N0 < 3.95.
- A layer-like structure with a twisted surface defect loop appeared at N0 ≥ 3.95, with slightly distorted cholesteric layers.
Conclusions:
- The relative chirality parameter (N0) dictates the director configuration in cholesteric droplets.
- Distinct defect structures emerge at specific N0 ranges, influencing the overall molecular arrangement.
- The study provides insights into the structure-property relationships of polymer-dispersed cholesteric liquid crystals.
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