title: Surface-induced structures in nematic liquid crystal colloids.
abstract: We predict theoretically the existence of a class of colloidal structures in nematic liquid crystal (NLC) cells, which are induced by surface patterns on the plates of the cell (like cells with UV-irradiated polyamide surfaces using micron sized masks in front of the cell). These bulk structures arise from nonuniform boundary conditions for the director distortions at the confining surfaces. In particular, we demonstrate that quadrupole spherical particles (like spheres with boojums or Saturn-ring director configurations) form a square lattice inside a planar NLC cell, which has checkerboard patterns on both its plates.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physics, NAS of Ukraine, Prospekt Nauky 46, Kyiv 03650, Ukraine.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Chernyshuk
authors.affiliation: Bogolyubov Institute for Theoretical Physics, NAS of Ukraine, Metrologichna 14-b, Kyiv 03680, Ukraine.
authors.forename: O M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Tovkach
authors.affiliation: Bogolyubov Institute for Theoretical Physics, NAS of Ukraine, Metrologichna 14-b, Kyiv 03680, Ukraine.
authors.forename: B I
authors.initials: BI
authors.lastname: Lev
mesh_terms: D003102:Colloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D004548:Elasticity; D050866:Liquid Crystals / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D003102:Colloids