The Geometry of the Cholesteric Phase

Daniel A. Beller; Thomas Machon; Simon Čopar; Daniel M. Sussman; Gareth P. Alexander; Randall D. Kamien; Ricardo A. Mosna

doi:10.1103/PhysRevX.4.031050

The Geometry of the Cholesteric Phase

Daniel A. Beller, Thomas Machon, Simon Čopar, Daniel M. Sussman, Gareth P. Alexander, Randall D. Kamien, Ricardo A. Mosna

School of Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

30 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We propose a construction of a cholesteric pitch axis for an arbitrary nematic director field as an eigenvalue problem. Our definition leads to a Frenet-Serret description of an orthonormal triad determined by this axis, the director, and the mutually perpendicular direction. With this tool we are able to compare defect structures in cholesterics, biaxial nematics, and smectics. Though they all have similar ground state manifolds, the defect structures are different and cannot be, in general, translated from one phase to the other.

Original language	Undefined/Unknown
Journal	Physical Review X
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevX.4.031050
Publication status	Published - 12 Jun 2014

Bibliographical note

5 pages, the full catastrophe

Keywords

cond-mat.soft

Access to Document

10.1103/PhysRevX.4.031050

Handle.net

Persistent link

Cite this

@article{9bed259b2e8b4851a0fb68386117e434,

title = "The Geometry of the Cholesteric Phase",

abstract = " We propose a construction of a cholesteric pitch axis for an arbitrary nematic director field as an eigenvalue problem. Our definition leads to a Frenet-Serret description of an orthonormal triad determined by this axis, the director, and the mutually perpendicular direction. With this tool we are able to compare defect structures in cholesterics, biaxial nematics, and smectics. Though they all have similar ground state manifolds, the defect structures are different and cannot be, in general, translated from one phase to the other. ",

keywords = "cond-mat.soft",

author = "Beller, {Daniel A.} and Thomas Machon and Simon {\v C}opar and Sussman, {Daniel M.} and Alexander, {Gareth P.} and Kamien, {Randall D.} and Mosna, {Ricardo A.}",

note = "5 pages, the full catastrophe",

year = "2014",

month = jun,

day = "12",

doi = "10.1103/PhysRevX.4.031050",

language = "Undefined/Unknown",

journal = "Physical Review X",

issn = "2160-3308",

publisher = "American Physical Society (APS)",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Geometry of the Cholesteric Phase

AU - Beller, Daniel A.

AU - Machon, Thomas

AU - Čopar, Simon

AU - Sussman, Daniel M.

AU - Alexander, Gareth P.

AU - Kamien, Randall D.

AU - Mosna, Ricardo A.

N1 - 5 pages, the full catastrophe

PY - 2014/6/12

Y1 - 2014/6/12

N2 - We propose a construction of a cholesteric pitch axis for an arbitrary nematic director field as an eigenvalue problem. Our definition leads to a Frenet-Serret description of an orthonormal triad determined by this axis, the director, and the mutually perpendicular direction. With this tool we are able to compare defect structures in cholesterics, biaxial nematics, and smectics. Though they all have similar ground state manifolds, the defect structures are different and cannot be, in general, translated from one phase to the other.

AB - We propose a construction of a cholesteric pitch axis for an arbitrary nematic director field as an eigenvalue problem. Our definition leads to a Frenet-Serret description of an orthonormal triad determined by this axis, the director, and the mutually perpendicular direction. With this tool we are able to compare defect structures in cholesterics, biaxial nematics, and smectics. Though they all have similar ground state manifolds, the defect structures are different and cannot be, in general, translated from one phase to the other.

KW - cond-mat.soft

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevX.4.031050

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevX.4.031050

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

SN - 2160-3308

JO - Physical Review X

JF - Physical Review X

ER -