Nematic braids: topological invariants and rewiring of disclinations

Details Nematic braids: topological invariants and rewiring of disclinations Nematic braids: topological invariants and rewiring of disclinations

2011-04-12

arxiv.org/abs/1104.2130v1

Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 177801 (2011)

Physics

Condensed Matter

Soft Condensed Matter

7 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in PRL, extended version with supplementary information

Scientific paper

10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.177801

The conventional topological description given by the fundamental group of nematic order parameter does not adequately explain the entangled defect line structures that have been observed in nematic colloids. We introduce a new topological invariant, the self-linking number, that enables a complete classification of entangled defect line structures in general nematics, even without particles, and demonstrate our formalism using colloidal dimers, for which entangled structures have been previously observed. We also unveil a simple rewiring scheme for the orthogonal crossing of two -1/2 disclinations, based on a tetrahedral rotation of two relevant disclination segments, that allows us to predict possible nematic braids and calculate their self-linking numbers.

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