3 papers
cond-mat.soft2026
Defect Kinematics in 2D Nematics: Contributions from Surface Topology, Intrinsic and Extrinsic Geometry, Solitons, Defect Orientations, and Elastic Anisotropy
Joseph Pollard, Richard G. Morris
We characterise the particlelike kinematics of charge-carrying topological defects in nematic media via a geometric field theory. This differs from the theory of electromagnetism,…
cond-mat.soft2025
Geometric Frustration in Twist-Bend Nematic Droplets
Joseph Pollard, Richard G. Morris
Liquid crystals formed of bent-core molecules are exotic materials that exhibit the twist-bend nematic phase. This arises when an energetic preference for nonzero local bend distor…
cond-mat.soft2024
Defect Dynamics in Cholesterics: Beyond the Peach-Koehler Force
Joseph Pollard, Richard G. Morris
The Peach-Koehler force between disclination lines was originally formulated in the study of crystalline solids, and has since been adopted to provide a notion of interactions betw…