Bistable defect structures in blue phase devices

Abstract

Blue phases (BPs) are liquid crystals made up by networks of defects, or disclination lines. While existing phase diagrams show a striking variety of competing metastable topologies for these networks, very little is known as to how to kinetically reach a target structure, or how to switch from one to the other, which is of paramount importance for devices. We theoretically identify two confined blue phase I systems in which by applying an appropriate series of electric field it is possible to select one of two bistable defect patterns. Our results may be used to realise new generation and fast switching energy-saving bistable devices in ultrathin surface treated BPI wafers.

4 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Lett

References in corpus (3)

• Formation of a Nematic Fluid at High Fields in Sr3Ru2O7
• Generation and Dynamics of Quantized Vortices in a Unitary Fermi Superfluid
• Switching and defect dynamics in multistable liquid crystal devices

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