A theoretical physicist who studied how a spherical particle distorts a nematic liquid crystal. Minimizing the elastic free energy with surface and magnetic field terms revealed competing defect configurations, including a surrounding ring. Changing particle size, surface alignment strength or applied magnetic field can change the preferred structure, connecting microscopic boundary conditions with observable colloidal organization.[ref]
Director field configurations around a spherical particle in a nematic liquid crystal by Holger Stark. Abstract: competing configurations, energy minimization and field-induced transitions
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