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arXiv · 1405.7878

Surface induced structures in nematic liquid crystal colloids

S. B. Chernyshuk·O. M. Tovkach·B. I. Lev
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Abstract

We predict theoretically the existence of a class of colloidal structures in nematic liquid crystal (NLC) cells, which are induced by surface patterns on the plates of the cell (like cells with UV-irradiated polyimide surfaces using micron size masks). These bulk structures arise from non-zero boundary conditions for the director distortions at the confining surfaces. In particular, we demonstrate that quadrupole spherical particles (like spheres with boojums or Saturn-ring director configurations) form a square lattice inside a planar NLC cell, which has checkerboard patterns on both its plates.

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S. B. Chernyshuk, O. M. Tovkach, B. I. Lev. 2014-05-30. Surface induced structures in nematic liquid crystal colloids. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.90.020502

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