Electric field generation of Skyrmion-like structures in a nematic liquid crystal.

ABSTRACT: Skyrmions are particle-like topological objects that are increasingly drawing attention in condensed matter physics, where they are connected to inversion symmetry breaking and chirality. Here we report the generation of stable Skyrmion-like structures in a thin nematic liquid crystal film on chemically patterned patchy surfaces. Using the interplay of material elasticity and surface boundary conditions, we use a strong electric field to quench the nematic liquid crystal from a fully aligned phase to vortex-like nematic liquid crystal structures, centered on patterned patches, which carry two different sorts of topological defects. Numerical calculations reveal that these are Skyrmion-like structures, seeded from the surface boojum topological defects and swirling towards the second confin

SUBMITTER: Cattaneo L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5299589 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature