Tom Machon: Nematics, Knots and Non-Orientable Surfaces

 

This Thursday Tom Machon, University of Warwick, will give seminar " Nematics, Knots and Non-Orientable Surfaces".

 

We extend existing work on spherical and toroidal colloids to describe the topological implications of colloids representing non-orientable surfaces and show that, by controlling colloid geometry and topology, metastable disclinations in the shape of torus knots and links of type (p, 2) can be built around multiply-twisted Mobius strip colloids. These knotted configurations bear a striking resemblance to torons, suggesting a route for experimental realisation.