Journal
PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI A-APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE
Volume 218, Issue 17, Pages -Publisher
WILEY-V C H VERLAG GMBH
DOI: 10.1002/pssa.202000752
Keywords
functional materials; liquid crystals; symmetry-breaking phase transitions; topological defects
Funding
- Slovenian Research Agency (ARRS) [P1-0099, J1-2457]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Topological defects are present in various branches of physics due to spontaneous symmetry breaking in relevant physical fields. Nematic liquid crystals serve as an ideal testbed for studying these defects, enabling a detailed analysis of their properties and promoting knowledge exchange among different areas of physics. Additionally, these defects in NLCs have potential diverse applications.
Topological defects (TDs) appear in all branches of physics due to the simplicity of generic mechanisms: The necessary condition for their existence is spontaneous symmetry breaking in a relevant physical field. Nematic liquid crystals (NLCs) represent an ideal testbed for their study and they can display point, line, textures, and in favorable conditions also wall defects. TDs in NLCs can be relatively easily created, controlled, and experimentally observed. This enables a detailed and controlled analysis of their physical properties, leading to the cross-fertilization of knowledge among different areas of physics, including condensed matter, particle physics, and cosmology. Furthermore, TDs in NLCs could be exploited in diverse applications. Herein, some salient features of most common TDs in NLCs, their generic mechanisms, their importance for fundamental science, and possible applications based on them are illustrated.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available