Extended Data Fig. 1: Orientation of LCs confined in unfunctionalized Si micropillar arrays.
From: Multistable polar textures in geometrically frustrated nematic liquid crystals
a,b, Polarized light micrographs of unfunctionalized micropillar array-confined LCs for (a) air (homeotropic) and (b) water (planar) on the top interface. LCs exhibit degenerate planar anchoring on unfunctionalized Si surfaces. Dewetting of LCs by water was observed in the bottom right region of panel (b). (c) Polarized light micrograph (transmission mode) showing Schlieren textures of LCs confined within a Cu grid on a dimethyl-octadecyl [3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl] ammonium chloride (DMOAP) silane-functionalized glass slide under pure water, confirming degenerate planar anchoring at the water−LC interface. Crossed, double-headed arrows indicate the direction of the crossed polarizers.
