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Fine structure of the topological defect cores studied for disclinations in lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals

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  • Shuang Zhou

    (Liquid Crystal Institute and Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Kent State University
    Present address: School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA)

  • Sergij V. Shiyanovskii

    (Liquid Crystal Institute and Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Kent State University)

  • Heung-Shik Park

    (Liquid Crystal Institute and Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Kent State University
    Present address: Samsung Display Co., Ltd., Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 17113, Korea)

  • Oleg D. Lavrentovich

    (Liquid Crystal Institute and Chemical Physics Interdisciplinary Program, Kent State University)

Abstract

The detailed structure of singularities of ordered field represents a fundamental problem in diverse areas of physics. At the defect cores, the deformations are so strong that the system explores states with symmetry different from that of an undistorted material. These regions are difficult to explore experimentally as their spatial extension is very small, a few molecular lengths in the condensed matter. Here we explore the cores of disclinations in the so-called chromonic nematics that extend over macroscopic length scales accessible for optical characterization. We demonstrate that the amplitude S and the phase (the director) of the order parameter vary along both the radial and azimuthal directions, in contrast to the classic models in which S varies only with the distance from the centre and depends only on the azimuthal coordinate. This unexpected core structure is explained by a strong coupling of the phase and amplitude of the order parameter in the free energy.

Suggested Citation

  • Shuang Zhou & Sergij V. Shiyanovskii & Heung-Shik Park & Oleg D. Lavrentovich, 2017. "Fine structure of the topological defect cores studied for disclinations in lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-7, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms14974
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14974
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