Continuous Transition of Defect Configuration in a Deformed Liquid Crystal Film

Abstract

We investigate energetically favorable configurations of point disclinations in nematic films having a bump geometry. Gradual expansion in the bump width Δ gives rise to a sudden shift in the stable position of the disclinations from the top to the skirt of the bump. The positional shift observed across a threshold Δth obeys a power law function of |Δ-Δth|, indicating a new class of continuous phase transition that governs the defect configuration in curved nematic films.

8pages, 3figures