Orientational order and topological defects in smectics

ORAL

Abstract

The homotopy theory of topological defects in liquid crystals fails to completely characterize disclinations in smectics, due to the broken translational symmetry. We provide an approach to enumerating topological defects that correctly accounts for the interaction between translations and rotations.

Authors

  • Bryan Chen

    • University of Pennsylvania
  • Gareth Alexander

    • University of Pennsylvania
  • Randall Kamien

    • University of Pennsylvania