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Topological binding and elastic interactions of microspheres and fibres in a nematic liquid crystal

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Abstract

We present a detailed analysis of topological binding and elastic interactions between a long, and micrometer-diameter fiber, and a microsphere in a homogeneously aligned nematic liquid crystal. Both objects are surface treated to produce strong perpendicular anchoring of the nematic liquid crystal. We use the opto-thermal micro-quench of the laser tweezers to produce topological defects with prescribed topological charge, such as pairs of a Saturn ring and an anti-ring, hyperbolic and radial hedgehogs on a fiber, as well as zero-charge loops. We study the entanglement and topological charge interaction between the topological defects of the fiber and sphere and we observe a huge variety of different entanglement topologies and defect-mediated elastic bindings. We explain all observed phenomena with simple topological rule: like topological charges repel each other and opposite topological charges attract. These binding mechanisms not only demonstrate the fascinating topology of nematic colloids, but also open a novel route to the assembly of very complex topological networks of fibers, spheres and other objects for applications in liquid crystal photonics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. J. Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    M. Nikkhou, M. Škarabot & I. Muševič

  2. Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, University of Ljubljana, Jadranska 19, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    I. Muševič

Authors
  1. M. Nikkhou
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  2. M. Škarabot
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  3. I. Muševič
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Correspondence to I. Muševič.

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Nikkhou, M., Škarabot, M. & Muševič, I. Topological binding and elastic interactions of microspheres and fibres in a nematic liquid crystal. Eur. Phys. J. E 38, 23 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2015-15023-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2015-15023-6

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