Molecular ordering and the defect structures of a material play essential roles in its function and performance. Controlling molecular alignment and topological defects has been a cornerstone in the field of liquid crystalline (LC) materials. Here, we present an overview of different methods to tailor surface chemistry and surface topography in order to direct the assemblies of LCs, leading to complex morphologies of topological defects. We detail various top-down patterning techniques in specific LC systems, including small molecule nematic and smectic LCs, and LC polymers (LCPs), and their roles in discoveries of new phenomena, new materials, and new applications. We close the review with a prospective on the potential impact of the LC patterning efforts to fundamental understanding, advancement of new materials and new phenomena, and potential technological applications.

材料的分子排序和缺陷结构在其功能和性能中起着至关重要的作用。控制分子排列和拓扑缺陷一直是液晶（LC）材料领域的基石。在这里，我们概述了用于调整表面化学和表面形貌以指导LC组装的不同方法，从而导致了拓扑缺陷的复杂形态。我们详细介绍了特定LC系统中的各种自上而下的构图技术，包括小分子向列和近晶LC和LC聚合物（LCP），以及它们在发现新现象，新材料和新应用中的作用。我们以LC图案化工作对基本了解，新材料和新现象的发展的潜在影响为准，以期结束本次回顾。