Properties of twisted topological defects in 2D nematic liquid crystals

Abstract

Topological defects are one of the most conspicuous features of liquid crystals. In two dimensional nematics, they have been shown to behave effectively as particles with both, charge and orientation, which dictate their interactions. Here, we study "twisted" defects that have a radially dependent orientation. We find that twist can be partially relaxed through the creation and annihilation of defect pairs. By solving the equations for defect motion and calculating the forces on defects, we identify four distinct elements that govern the relative relaxational motion of interacting topological defects, namely attraction, repulsion, co-rotation and co-translation. The interaction of these effects can lead to intricate defect trajectories, which can be controlled by setting relevant timescales.

arXiv comment8 pages, 6 figures

References in corpus (17)

• The Mechanics and Statistics of Active Matter
• Spontaneous motion in hierarchically assembled active matter
• Topological defect launches 3D mound in the active nematic sheet of neural progenitors
• Defect annihilation and proliferation in active nematics
• Orientational order of motile defects in active nematics
• Defect dynamics in active nematics
• Stabilization of active matter by flow-vortex lattices and defect ordering
• Taming active turbulence with patterned soft interfaces
• Interplay of Structure, Elasticity and Dynamics in Actin-Based Nematic Materials
• Orientation of topological defects in 2D nematic liquid crystals
• Orientational properties of nematic disclinations
• Antipolar ordering of topological defects in active liquid crystals
• Quantifying material properties of cell monolayers by analyzing integer topological defects
• Active nematics with anisotropic friction: the decisive role of the flow aligning parameter
• Integer topological defects of cell monolayers -- mechanics and flows
• Defect order in active nematics on a curved surface
• Activity driven orientational order in active nematic liquid crystals on an anisotropic substrate

Cited by in corpus (6)

• Orientational correlations in active and passive nematic defects
• Kinematics and dynamics of disclination lines in three-dimensional nematics
• Many-defect solutions in planar nematics: interactions, spiral textures and boundary conditions
• Analytical model for the motion and interaction of two-dimensional active nematic defects
• Emergent Gauge Symmetry in Active Brownian Matter
• Defect Interactions Through Periodic Boundaries in Two-Dimensional $p$-atics