Electric field induced inversion of the sign of half-integer disclinations in 2D nematic liquid crystals

TL;DR

This paper investigates how rotating an external electric field can invert the sign of half-integer disclinations in 2D nematic liquid crystals, affecting defect dynamics and coarsening behavior.

Contribution

It demonstrates that a π rotation of the electric field can invert disclination signs via twist disclinations, using a specialized liquid crystal simulation algorithm.

Findings

Electric field rotation inverts disclination signs.

External field influences defect coarsening.

Continuous transformation of disclinations observed.

Abstract

We study the effect of the rotation of an external electric field on the dynamics of half-integer disclination networks in two dimensional nematic liquid crystals with a negative dielectric anisotropy using LICRA, a LIquid CRystal Algorithm developed by the authors. We show that a rotation of $\pi$ of the electric field around an axis of the liquid crystal plane continuously transforms all half-integer disclinations of the network into disclinations of opposite sign via twist disclinations. We also determine the evolution of the characteristic length scale, thus quantifying the impact of the external electric field on the coarsening of the defect network.