Extended Data Fig. 4: Orientation of elastic dipoles in a square lattice micropillar array.
From: Multistable polar textures in geometrically frustrated nematic liquid crystals
Polarized light micrographs alongside a numerical model sketch showing LCs confined within a square lattice micropillar array (a) in the air or (b-d) under a water droplet. Micrographs were captured (b) after the nematic−isotropic−nematic transition, (c) immediately after water droplet placement, and (d) after sliding the water droplet towards 6 o’clock. Single-headed arrows indicate the orientation of elastic dipoles, with the arrow color representing the orientation: blue, 3 o’clock; red, 6 o’clock; orange, 9 o’clock; and green, 12 o’clock. White disks indicate the vacancies. Crossed, double-headed arrows indicate the direction of the crossed polarizers.
