Two-Dimensional Skyrmions and Other Solitonic Structures in Confinement-Frustrated Chiral Nematics

doi:10.1103/PhysRevE.90.012505

Title: Two-Dimensional Skyrmions and Other Solitonic Structures in Confinement-Frustrated Chiral Nematics

Journal Article · Thu Jul 10 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.90.012505· OSTI ID:1144820

We explore spatially localized solitonic configurations of a director field, generated using optical realignment and laser-induced heating, in frustrated chiral nematic liquid crystals confined between substrates with perpendicular surface anchoring. We demonstrate that, in addition to recently studied torons and Hopf-fibration solitonic structures (hopfions), one can generate a host of other axially symmetric stable and metastable director field configurations where local twist is matched to the surface boundary conditions through introduction of point defects and loops of singular and nonsingular disclinations. The experimentally demonstrated structures include the so-called 'baby-skyrmions' in the form of double twist cylinders oriented perpendicular to the confining substrates where their double twist field configuration is matched to the perpendicular boundary conditions by loops of twist disclinations. We also generate complex textures with arbitrarily large skyrmion numbers. A simple back-of-the-envelope theoretical analysis based on free energy considerations and the nonpolar nature of chiral nematics provides insights into the long-term stability and diversity of these inter-related solitonic field configurations, including different types of torons, cholestric-finger loops, two-dimensional skyrmions, and more complex structures comprised of torons, hopfions, and various disclination loops that are experimentally observed in a confinement-frustrated chiral nematic system.

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Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC)

DOE Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1144820

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5900-61548

Journal Information:: Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics, Vol. 90, Issue 1; Related Information: Article No. 012505

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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