Capturing of microparticles and visualization of a topological defect in a liquid-crystal θ-cell

Abstract

We report on a set of experiments directed to a problem of microparticles interaction with a disclination in a nematic liquid crystal matrix. The idea of the study consists in the visualization of the disclination by filling it with particles efficiently scattering light. A θ-cell possessing a topological defect of undetermined twist which can capture micro-sized objects was exploited. The results obtained for samples of different shape can be used as for the understanding of the nature of self-assembling clusters, as for the practical goal of increasing the visibility of a disclination being a dynamic object sensitive to temperature and other external factors and able to move the trapped particles.

Keywords:

• Liquid crystals
• disclination
• particle trapping
• topological defect

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).