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Updated: Jun 12, 2025

Forming, Confining, and Observing Microtubule-Based Active Nematics
Published on: January 13, 2023
Ordered structures formed by nematic topological defects and their transformation with changing the Euler
P V Dolganov1, N A Spiridenko1, V K Dolganov1
1Osipyan <a href="https://ror.org/00ezjkn15">Institute of Solid State Physics</a> RAS, 142432 Chernogolovka, Moscow Region, Russia.
Abstract:
Ordered chain structures from topological defects of opposite charges ("necklaces" of defects) were prepared and their dynamics and cooperative rearrangement were investigated. We studied topological defects in nematic films with change of the Euler characteristic induced by temperature. Topological defects emerged due to competing surface anchoring on the nematic-isotropic and nematic-solid interfaces. Transformation of the structure with a circular chain from topological defects to the structure with a single defect and then to a structure without defects takes place as the nematic geometry changes. The temporal evolution of the number of topological defects at their annihilation in the chains differs from coarsening in two-dimensional (2D) and 3D geometry.
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