We studied the impact of the cell thickness on configurations of line disclinations within a plane-parallel nematic cell. The Lebwohl-Lasher semimicroscopic approach was used and (meta)stable nematic configurations were calculated using Brownian molecular dynamics. Defect patterns were enforced topologically via boundary conditions. We imposed periodic circular nematic surface fields at each confining surface. The resulting structures exhibit line defects which either connect the facing plates or remain confined within the layers near confining plates. The first structure is stable in relatively thin cells and the latter one in thick cells. We focused on structures at the threshold regime where both structures compete. We demonstrated that “history” of samples could have strong impact on resulting nematic configurations.

中文翻译：

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薄向列晶胞中厚度引起的线缺陷重构

我们研究了单元厚度对平面平行向列单元内线向错配置的影响。使用 Lebwohl-Lasher 半显微方法并使用布朗分子动力学计算（亚）稳定向列构型。缺陷模式是通过边界条件拓扑强制执行的。我们在每个限制面上施加了周期性的圆形向列表面场。由此产生的结构表现出线缺陷，这些缺陷要么连接面板，要么保持限制在限制板附近的层内。第一种结构在相对薄的电池中稳定，而后一种在厚电池中稳定。我们专注于两个结构竞争的阈值制度的结构。我们证明了样品的“历史”可能对产生的向列配置有很大的影响。