Memory effects and glassy behavior have been repeatedly observed in disordered nematic liquid crystals but the connection between these effects and the system topology remained unrevealed. We present an analysis of the local and global topology of the nematic ordering in the presence of quenched disorder and we show that nematics with quenched disorder can be mapped into a system of pinned defect lines and that the memory of the system stems from the pinning of these strings.

Nematics with quenched disorder: pinning out the origin of memory / M. Rotunno, M. Buscaglia, C. Chiccoli, F. Mantegazza, P. Pasini, T. Bellini, C. Zannoni. - In: PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS. - ISSN 0031-9007. - 94:9(2005), pp. 097802.1-097802.4.

Nematics with quenched disorder: pinning out the origin of memory

M. Rotunno
Primo
;
M. Buscaglia
Secondo
;
T. Bellini
Penultimo
;
2005

Abstract

Memory effects and glassy behavior have been repeatedly observed in disordered nematic liquid crystals but the connection between these effects and the system topology remained unrevealed. We present an analysis of the local and global topology of the nematic ordering in the presence of quenched disorder and we show that nematics with quenched disorder can be mapped into a system of pinned defect lines and that the memory of the system stems from the pinning of these strings.
liquid-crystals; superconductors; topology
Settore FIS/07 - Fisica Applicata(Beni Culturali, Ambientali, Biol.e Medicin)
2005
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/17004
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