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Decomposition of strongly charged topological defects

Samo Kralj

Bryce S. Murray and Charles Rosenblatt

  • Department of Physics, Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Maribor, Koroška cesta 160, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia and Jožef Stefan Institute, P.O. Box 3000, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

  • Department of Physics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-7079, USA

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Phys. Rev. E 95, 042702 – Published 18 April, 2017

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.95.042702

Abstract

We study decomposition of geometrically enforced nematic topological defects bearing relatively large defect strengths m in effectively two-dimensional planar systems. Theoretically, defect cores are analyzed within the mesoscopic Landau–de Gennes approach in terms of the tensor nematic order parameter. We demonstrate a robust tendency of defect decomposition into elementary units where two qualitatively different scenarios imposing total defect strengths on a nematic region are employed. Some theoretical predictions are verified experimentally, where arrays of defects bearing charges m=±1 and even m=±2 are enforced within a plane-parallel nematic cell using an atomic force microscopy scribing method.

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Phys. Rev. E 95, 042702– Published 18 April, 2017
  • Received 26 February 2017
Article part of CHORUS

©2017 American Physical Society

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