Solution Landscapes in the Landau-de Gennes Theory on Rectangles

Abstract

We study nematic equilibria on rectangular domains, in a reduced two-dimensional Landau-de Gennes framework. These reduced equilibria carry over to the three-dimensional framework at a special temperature. There is one essential model variable---$\epsilon$ which is a geometry-dependent and material-dependent variable. We compute the limiting profiles exactly in two distinguished limits---the $\epsilon \to 0$ limit relevant for macroscopic domains and the $\epsilon \to \infty$ limit relevant for nano-scale domains. The limiting profile has line defects near the shorter edges in the $\epsilon \to \infty$ limit whereas we observe fractional point defects in the $\epsilon \to 0$ limit. The analytical studies are complemented by bifurcation diagrams for these reduced equilibria as a function of $\epsilon$ and the rectangular aspect ratio. We also introduce the concept of `non-trivial' topologies and the relaxation of non-trivial topologies to trivial topologies mediated via point and line defects, with potential consequences for non-equilibrium phenomena and switching dynamics.

23 pages, 11 figures