Vortex clustering in chiral nematic liquid crystal microdroplets

Abstract

Metamaterials have subwavelength periodic structures that manipulate electromagnetic waves. Typically, difficulties are encountered in fabricating this type of materials due to the sophisticated techniques involved in their creation. Bubble domains in chiral nematic liquid crystals present a skyrmion lattice which has periodicity regions along a cell, which allow the observation of unconventional light-matter interaction. However, the interaction dynamics between vortices presents a challenge to ensure the order of the lattice throughout the space it covers. In this work we study the use of liquid crystal microdroplets as potential wells and the clustering of topological defects in them.