Three-dimensional imaging of liquid crystal structures and defects by means of holographic manipulation of colloidal nanowires with faceted sidewalls
Journal article, 2011

We use nanowires with faceted sidewalls for mapping of the patterns of three-dimensional orientational order and defect structures. In chiral nematics, the nanowires follow the local average orientation of rod-shaped molecules. When spatially translated by use of holographic optical tweezers in three dimensions, they mediate direct nondestructive visualization of the helicoidal ground-state structures, edge and screw dislocations, and kinks, as well as enable non-contact manipulation of these defects. We probe interactions of faceted nanowires with different defects and demonstrate their spontaneous self-alignment along the cores of singular defect lines.

Author

David Engström

University of Gothenburg

Rahul P. Trivedi

Martin Persson

University of Gothenburg

Mattias Goksör

University of Gothenburg

Kris A. Bertness

Ivan I. Smalyukh

Soft Matter

Vol. 7 6304-6312

Subject Categories

Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics

Condensed Matter Physics

DOI

10.1039/C1SM05170A

More information

Created

10/10/2017