Abstract
The dynamics of a disclination loop (s = ±1/2) in nematic liquid crystals constrained between two coaxial cylinders were investigated based on two-dimensional Landau–de Gennes tensorial formalism by using a finite-difference iterative method. The effect of thickness (d = R2 − R1, where R1 and R2 represent the internal and external radii of the cylindrical cavity, respectively) on the director distribution of the defect was simulated using different R1 values. The results show that the order reconstruction occurs at a critical value of dc, which decreases with increasing inner ratio R1. The loop also shrinks, and the defect center deviates from the middle of the system, which is a non-planar structure. The deviation decreases with decreasing d or increasing R1, implying that the system tends to be a planar cell. Two models were then established to analyze the combined effect of non-planar geometry and electric field. The common action of these parameters facilitates order reconstruction, whereas their opposite action complicates the process.
Highlights
The equilibrium configuration of a confined nematic liquid crystal (NLC) is caused by interplay among surface interaction, elastic distortion, and finite-size effect
Confined systems that suffer from continuous symmetry-breaking transitions often display topological defects [1,2,3,4], which are utilized in new-generation LC devices
Order reconstruction structures have been investigated in detail [6,7,8,9,10,11] for various boundary conditions in nematic cells bounded by parallel walls, for which the characteristic linear size of the confining plates is large and virtually infinite compared with the cell thickness
Summary
The equilibrium configuration of a confined nematic liquid crystal (NLC) is caused by interplay among surface interaction, elastic distortion, and finite-size effect. Order reconstruction structures have been investigated in detail [6,7,8,9,10,11] for various boundary conditions in nematic cells bounded by parallel walls, for which the characteristic linear size of the confining plates is large and virtually infinite compared with the cell thickness. We investigated the structural behavior of a nanoscale NLC system confined in a cylindrical cavity with a topological defect loop by using the finite-difference iterative method.
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