Creation of topological charges by the spontaneous symmetry breaking phase transition in azo dye-doped nematic liquid crystals

Liquid crystals are anisotropic fluids with long-range directional order. They can be easily used to create topological defects, but creating a controlled topological defect is difficult and involves many tasks and complex processes. However, in our study, we were able to easily generate disclinations in the symmetry-breaking boundaries of an azo dye-doped nematic liquid crystal cell owing to photoisomerization and symmetry-breaking isotropic-nematic phase transition. The method proposed here marks the starting point for the easier control of topological defects in liquid crystals. (C) 2021 Optica Publishing Group under the terms of the Optica Open Access Publishing Agreement

Automated summary

Liquid crystals are anisotropic fluids with long-range directional order. Creating controlled topological defects in liquid crystals is challenging, but this study successfully generated disclinations in an azo dye-doped nematic liquid crystal cell through photoisomerization and symmetry-breaking isotropic-nematic phase transition. This method represents a starting point for easier control of topological defects in liquid crystals.