Control of topological liquid crystal defects in microstructured cells

In this paper, a recently developed micro-templating technology has enabled us to generate cells with spherical mirrors with radius of curvature that spans from 100 nm to 100 mum. This method is based on self-assembly of polyester micro-spheres on a gold substrate followed by electrochemical deposition of gold around them to any desired thickness. Numerical simulations based on a Landau-de Gennes model indicate that the geometry of the cell may induce the appearance of a defect and that its position can be controlled by an applied electrical field. Measures of switching times show that the geometrical constraints force the liquid crystal defects to move much faster than they would in a planar cell