Nematic-to-isotropic phase transition at prepatterned topological defects
ORAL
Abstract
Topological defects play an important role in phase transitions in condensed matter. We explore the nematic-to-isotropic transition in an array of topological defects generated by a pre-patterned director field. Isotropic islands nucleate either at the defect cores or away from them, depending on the rate of temperature increase. The isotropic nuclei appearing at the ±1/2
strength defect cores shift away from the cores as the temperature increases. The shape of the isotropic islands at +1/2 defects has a dipolar symmetry, while the islands at -1/2 defects have a trifold symmetry. The effects are associated with the anisotropic surface tension caused by the surface anchoring of the director at the nematic-isotropic interface.
strength defect cores shift away from the cores as the temperature increases. The shape of the isotropic islands at +1/2 defects has a dipolar symmetry, while the islands at -1/2 defects have a trifold symmetry. The effects are associated with the anisotropic surface tension caused by the surface anchoring of the director at the nematic-isotropic interface.
*HNP and ODL work is supported by NSF grant DMS-2106675, MJ and QHW work is supported by NSFC grant 12174177.
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Publication: H. Nilanthi Padmini §, Miao Jiang§, Hao Chen, Xiayu Feng, Yubing Guo, Maxim O. Lavrentovich, Oleg D. Lavrentovich, Qi-Huo Wei, in preparation.
§These authors contributed equally to work.
Presenters
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Nilanthi P Haputhanthrige
- Kent State University