Abstract
The persistent quasi-planar nematic texture known also as the dowser texture is characterized by a 2D unitary vector field d. We show here that the dowser texture is sensitive, in first order, to electric fields. This property is due to the flexo-electric polarisation P collinear with d expected from R. B. Meyer's considerations on flexo-electricity in nematics. It is pointed out that due to the flexo-electric polarisation nematic monopoles can be manipulated by electric fields of appropriate geometry.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1469-1480 |
Number of pages | 12 |
Journal | Soft Matter |
Volume | 15 |
Issue number | 7 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2019 |