title: Monte Carlo simulations of nematic and chiral nematic shells.
abstract: We present a systematic Monte Carlo simulation study of thin nematic and cholesteric shells with planar anchoring using an off-lattice model. The results obtained using the simple model correspond with previously published results for lattice-based systems, with the number, type, and position of defects observed dependent on the shell thickness with four half-strength defects in a tetrahedral arrangement found in very thin shells and a pair of defects in a bipolar (boojum) configuration observed in thicker shells. A third intermediate defect configuration is occasionally observed for intermediate thickness shells, which is stabilized in noncentrosymmetric shells of nonuniform thickness. Chiral nematic (cholesteric) shells are investigated by including a chiral term in the potential. Decreasing the pitch of the chiral nematic leads to a twisted bipolar (chiral boojum) configuration with the director twist increasing from the inner to the outer surface.
authors: Department of Chemistry, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom.
authors: Charlie R
authors: CR
authors: Wand
authors: Department of Chemistry, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom.
authors: Martin A
authors: MA
authors: Bates