›› 2015, Vol. 24 ›› Issue (2): 26102-026102.doi: 10.1088/1674-1056/24/2/026102

• CONDENSED MATTER: STRUCTURAL, MECHANICAL, AND THERMAL PROPERTIES • 上一篇    下一篇

Dynamics of a ± 1/2 defect pair in a confined geometry: A thin hybrid aligned nematic cell

路丽霞a b c, 张志东c   

  1. a Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130033, China;
    b University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
    c School of Science, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
  • 收稿日期:2014-06-25 修回日期:2014-09-11 出版日期:2015-02-05 发布日期:2015-02-05
  • 基金资助:
    Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11374087) and the Key Subject Construction Project of Hebei Province University.

Dynamics of a ± 1/2 defect pair in a confined geometry: A thin hybrid aligned nematic cell

Lu Li-Xia (路丽霞)a b c, Zhang Zhi-Dong (张志东)c   

  1. a Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130033, China;
    b University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China;
    c School of Science, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China
  • Received:2014-06-25 Revised:2014-09-11 Online:2015-02-05 Published:2015-02-05
  • Contact: Zhang Zhi-Dong E-mail:zhidong_zhang1961@163.com
  • Supported by:
    Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 11374087) and the Key Subject Construction Project of Hebei Province University.

摘要: Confined geometry can change the defect structure and its properties. In this paper, we investigate numerically the dynamics of a dipole of ± 1/2 parallel wedge disclination lines in a confined geometry: a thin hybrid aligned nematic (HAN) cell, based on the Landau-de Gennes theory. When the cell gap d is larger than a critical value of 12ζ (where ζ is the characteristic length for order-parameter change), the pair annihilates. A pure HAN configuration without defect is formed in an equilibrium state. In the confined geometry of d ≤ 12ζ, the diffusion process is discovered for the first time and an eigenvalue exchange configuration is formed in an equilibrium state. The eigenvalue exchange configuration is induced by different essential reasons. When 10ζ <d ≤ 12ζ, the two defects coalesce and annihilate. The biaxial wall is created by the inhomogeneous distortion of the director, which results in the eigenvalue exchange configuration. When d ≤ 10ζ, the defects do not collide and the eigenvalue exchange configuration originates from the biaxial seeds concentrated at the defects.

关键词: ±, 1/2 defect pair, dynamics, eigenvalue exchange configuration, confined geometry

Abstract: Confined geometry can change the defect structure and its properties. In this paper, we investigate numerically the dynamics of a dipole of ± 1/2 parallel wedge disclination lines in a confined geometry: a thin hybrid aligned nematic (HAN) cell, based on the Landau-de Gennes theory. When the cell gap d is larger than a critical value of 12ζ (where ζ is the characteristic length for order-parameter change), the pair annihilates. A pure HAN configuration without defect is formed in an equilibrium state. In the confined geometry of d ≤ 12ζ, the diffusion process is discovered for the first time and an eigenvalue exchange configuration is formed in an equilibrium state. The eigenvalue exchange configuration is induced by different essential reasons. When 10ζ <d ≤ 12ζ, the two defects coalesce and annihilate. The biaxial wall is created by the inhomogeneous distortion of the director, which results in the eigenvalue exchange configuration. When d ≤ 10ζ, the defects do not collide and the eigenvalue exchange configuration originates from the biaxial seeds concentrated at the defects.

Key words: ±, 1/2 defect pair, dynamics, eigenvalue exchange configuration, confined geometry

中图分类号:  (Defects in liquid crystals)

  • 61.30.Jf
64.70.qj (Dynamics and criticality) 61.20.Ja (Computer simulation of liquid structure) 61.30.Hn (Surface phenomena: alignment, anchoring, anchoring transitions, surface-induced layering, surface-induced ordering, wetting, prewetting transitions, and wetting transitions)