Smectic shells.
Confining a smectic liquid crystal between two spherical surfaces results in the formation of a complex defect structure characterized by a set of curvature walls that divide the sphere into crescent domains, causing the undulation of the smectic layers. In this paper, we examine in detail these smectic textures and discuss the various possible origins of the observed patterns.
Université Montpellier 2, Laboratoire Charles Coulomb UMR5221, F-34095, Montpellier, France.
Teresa
T
Lopez-Leon
Alberto
A
Fernandez-Nieves
Maurizio
M
Nobili
Christophe
C
Blanc