2020/02/29 by Jack Binysh, Joseph Pollard, Gareth P. Alexander
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Engineering · Materials Science · Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Materials and Mechanics #Condensed matter physics #Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution #Geometry #Intersection (aeronautics) #Liquid Crystal Research Advancements #Mathematics #Physics #Plant Reproductive Biology #Skyrmion #Surface (topology) #Twist #cond-mat.soft
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.125.047801
published as Phys. Rev. Lett. 125, 047801 (2020) · 27 pages, 18 figures
arxiv created 2020/06/18 · openalex publication_date 2020/07/24 · arxiv updated 2020/07/29 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We describe the geometry of bend distortions in liquid crystals and their fundamental degeneracies, which we call β lines; these represent a new class of linelike topological defect in twist-bend nematics. We present constructions for smecticlike textures containing screw and edge dislocations and also for vortexlike structures of double twist and Skyrmions. We analyze their local geometry and global structure, showing that their intersection with any surface is twice the Skyrmion number. Finally, we demonstrate how arbitrary knots and links can be created and describe them in terms of merons, giving a geometric perspective on the fractionalization of Skyrmions.