biostudies-literatureNeirynck JResearch Foundation - Flanders (FWO)PhD Strategic Basic Research grant of the Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO)FWO Postdoctoral Fellowship (Research Foundation - Flanders)e2414675https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11938017biostudies-literatureUnknown37(12)In liquid crystal (LC) cells, the surface patterning directs the self-assembly of the uniaxial building blocks in the bulk, enabling the design of stimuli-response optical devices with various functionalities. The combination of different anchoring patterns at both substrates can lead to surface induced frustration, preventing a purely planar and defect-free configuration. In cells with crossed assembly of rotating anchoring patterns, elastic deformations allow to obtain a defect-free bulk configuration, but an electrical stimulus can induce disclination lines. The disclination network is preserved without applied voltage. Depending on the electric field treatment and geometrical parameters, different multi-stable states with and without disclinations are obtained. This is demonstrated with the help of dual-frequency LCs, for which the frequency dependent dielectric properties allow repeatable switching between multi-stable states. Topological protection and the associated energy barrier between different states explains the observed metastability. The obtained configurations are retrieved with Q-tensor simulations and the validity is confirmed by matching optical simulations with experimentally obtained microscopy images. The realized multi-stable topological states interact differently with light, resulting in distinct optical properties. Optimization allows to switch between a highly transparent state and an opaque state, opening up opportunities for smart windows with low energy consumption.Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)Electrically Switchable Multi-Stable Topological States Enabled by Surface-Induced Frustration in Nematic Liquid Crystal Cells.PMC119380171SHF924NG0C2121N1257423NStebryte MNys IHsiao YTNeirynck JfalseElectrically Switchable Multi-Stable Topological States Enabled by Surface-Induced Frustration in Nematic Liquid Crystal Cells.In liquid crystal (LC) cells, the surface patterning directs the self-assembly of the uniaxial building blocks in the bulk, enabling the design of stimuli-response optical devices with various functionalities. The combination of different anchoring patterns at both substrates can lead to surface induced frustration, preventing a purely planar and defect-free configuration. In cells with crossed assembly of rotating anchoring patterns, elastic deformations allow to obtain a defect-free bulk configuration, but an electrical stimulus can induce disclination lines. The disclination network is preserved without applied voltage. Depending on the electric field treatment and geometrical parameters, different multi-stable states with and without disclinations are obtained. This is demonstrated with the help of dual-frequency LCs, for which the frequency dependent dielectric properties allow repeatable switching between multi-stable states. Topological protection and the associated energy barrier between different states explains the observed metastability. The obtained configurations are retrieved with Q-tensor simulations and the validity is confirmed by matching optical simulations with experimentally obtained microscopy images. The realized multi-stable topological states interact differently with light, resulting in distinct optical properties. Optimization allows to switch between a highly transparent state and an opaque state, opening up opportunities for smart windows with low energy consumption.2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Mar2025-07-05T03:04:51.877Z2025-07-05T03:04:51.877ZS-EPMC119380173979747310.1002/adma.202414675