Creation of topological charges by the spontaneous symmetry breaking phase transition in azo dye-doped nematic liquid crystals

Abstract

Liquid crystals are anisotropic fluids with long-range directional order. They can be easily used to create topological defects, but creating a controlled topological defect is difficult and involves many tasks and complex processes. However, in our study, we were able to easily generate disclinations in the symmetry-breaking boundaries of an azo dye-doped nematic liquid crystal cell owing to photoisomerization and symmetry-breaking isotropic-nematic phase transition. The method proposed here marks the starting point for the easier control of topological defects in liquid crystals.