title: Electric-field modulation of liquid crystal structures in contact with structured surfactant monolayers.
abstract: We present experiments in which we use an electric field to switch between different configurations in the cellular patterns induced in a confined nematic liquid crystal by the contact with a surfactant monolayer that features lateral order and surface defects. By using different combinations of far-field alignment and mesogen dielectric anisotropy, we unravel the nature and stability of point defects and disclinations resulting from the hybrid boundary conditions.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia (IN2UB) and Departament de Química Física, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Pau
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guillamat
authors.affiliation: Institut de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia (IN2UB) and Departament de Química Física, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Francesc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sagués
authors.affiliation: Institut de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia (IN2UB) and Departament de Química Física, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ignés-Mullol