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Point defects, topological chirality, and singularity theory in cholesteric liquid-crystal droplets

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Pollard, Joseph, Posnjak, Gregor, Copar, Simon, Musevic, Igor and Alexander, Gareth P. (2019) Point defects, topological chirality, and singularity theory in cholesteric liquid-crystal droplets. Physical Review X, 9 (2). 021004. doi:10.1103/PhysRevX.9.021004

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevX.9.021004

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Abstract

We provide a characterization of point defects in droplets of cholesteric liquid crystal, using a combination of experiment, simulation, and theoretical analysis. These droplets display a range of structures including realizations of defects with high topological charge and arrangements of multiple defects in “topological molecules.” We show that there are certain defects that are incompatible with a uniform sense of chiral twisting for topological reasons. Furthermore, those defects that are compatible with twist of a single handedness are shown to have the structure of the gradient field of an isolated critical point and, hence, are described by singularity theory. We show that the mathematical tools of singularity theory reproduce, with excellent agreement, the experimental observations of high charge defects and topological molecules. Our results have implications beyond liquid crystal droplets in characterizing chiral materials and their topology in general.

Item Type: Journal Article
Subjects: Q Science > QC Physics
Divisions: Faculty of Science > Centre for Complexity Science
Faculty of Science > Mathematics
Faculty of Science > Physics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): Liquid crystals, Point defects, Topological defects (Physics), Chirality
Journal or Publication Title: Physical Review X
Publisher: American Physical Society
ISSN: 2160-3308
Official Date: 8 April 2019
Dates:
DateEvent
8 April 2019Published
7 March 2019Accepted
12 November 2018Submitted
Date of first compliant deposit: 10 April 2019
Volume: 9
Number: 2
Article Number: 021004
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevX.9.021004
Status: Peer Reviewed
Publication Status: Published
Access rights to Published version: Restricted or Subscription Access
RIOXX Funder/Project Grant:
Project/Grant IDRIOXX Funder NameFunder ID
EP/L015374/1[EPSRC] Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Councilhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000266
UNSPECIFIEDJavna Agencija za Raziskovalno Dejavnost RShttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004329
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