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The European Physical Journal E

, Volume 20, Issue 3, pp 299–308 | Cite as

Energetics of 2D colloids in free-standing smectic-C films

  • C. BohleyEmail author
  • R. Stannarius
Regular Article
First Online:

Abstract.

The formation of regular colloid patterns in free-standing smectic films at the transition from the smectic-C to the isotropic or nematic phase is well known experimentally. The self-organization of isotropic or nematic droplets is caused by their mutual interaction, mediated by elastic distortions of the local director in the surrounding liquid crystal. These distortions are related to the anchoring conditions of the director at the droplet border. We describe analytically the energetics of the liquid crystal environment of a single droplet in one-constant approximation. A method of complex analysis, Conformal Mapping, is employed. Following a suggestion of Dolganov et al. (Phys. Rev. E. 73, 041706 (2006)), energetics of chain and grid patterns built from the colloids are investigated numerically in order to explain experimentally observed formations and their director fields.

PACS.

61.30.Dk Continuum models and theories of liquid crystal structure 61.30.Jf Defects in liquid crystals 61.30.Hn Surface phenomena: alignment, anchoring, anchoring transitions, surface-induced layering, surface-induced ordering, wetting, prewetting transitions, and wetting transitions 
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Copyright information

© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag 2006

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Institute of Experimental PhysicsNonlinear PhenomenaMagdeburgGermany

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