Topological quantization of disclination points in three-dimensional liquid crystals
Yang Guo-Hong (杨国宏)a, Zhang Hui (张慧)b, Duan Yi-Shi (段一士)c
a Department of Physics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200436, China; b Department of Chemistry, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200436, China; c Institute of Theoretical Physics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Abstract Using the $\phi$-mapping method and topological current theory, we study the inner structure of disclination points in three-dimensional liquid crystals. By introducing the strength density and the topological current of many disclination points, it is pointed out that the disclination points are determined by the singularities of the general director field and they are topologically quantized by the Hopf indices and Brouwer degrees.
Received: 17 October 2001
Revised: 25 November 2001
Accepted manuscript online:
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