Abstract
The Hopf fibration is an example of a texture: a topologically stable, smooth, global configuration of a field. Here we demonstrate the controlled sculpting of the Hopf fibration in nematic liquid crystals through the control of point defects. We demonstrate how these are related to torons by use of a topological visualization technique derived from the Pontryagin-Thom construction.
- Received 30 December 2012
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.237801
© 2013 American Physical Society
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Topology with Liquid Crystals
Published 3 June 2013
Molecules in a liquid crystal order into a pattern whose links and twists resemble a Hopf fibration, a geometric shape from topology with unusual properties.
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