Novel phenomena of nematic liquid crystal confined between perfluoropolymer surfaces

Abstract: Topological defects in nematic liquid crystals are ubiquitous. The defect studies are important in understanding the fundamental properties of the systems, as well as in practical applications, such as colloidal self-⁠assembly, optical vortex generation and templates for molecular self-⁠assembly. Usually, spatially and temporally stable defects require geometrical frustration imposed by surfaces; otherwise, the system relaxes because of the high cost of the elastic energy. Nematic liquid crystals confined between perfluoropolymer surfaces and a thermal discontinuous anchoring transition will be described and explained.