Journal
NEW JOURNAL OF PHYSICS
Volume 18, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
IOP PUBLISHING LTD
DOI: 10.1088/1367-2630/18/5/053012
Keywords
liquid crystals; defects; topology; knots
Categories
Funding
- NSF [DMR12-62047]
- Simons Foundation
- FAPESP [2013/09357-9]
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The order parameter of the smectic liquid crystal phase is the same as that of a superfluid or superconductor, namely a complex scalar field. We show that the essential difference in boundary conditions between these systems leads to a markedly different topological structure of the defects. Screw and edge defects can be distinguished topologically. This implies an invariant on an edge dislocation loop so that smectic defects can be topologically linked not unlike defects in ordered systems with non -Abelian fundamental groups.
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