Linear Self-Assembly of Nanoparticles Within Liquid Crystal Defect Arrays

We have used fi lms of smectic 8CB (4- n -octyl-4’-cyanobiphenyl) deposited on a solid substrate to induce planar anchoring of the LC director while a homeotropic (normal) anchoring was generated at the air interface. This produces a distorted texture, the so-called “oily streaks”, containing periodic curvature walls and disclination lines, perpendicular to the planar anchoring. Because of the high energetic cost of their structural deformations, the defects’ core thickness is expected to be limited. We used well-defined defect orientations to induce anisotropic assemblies of NPs.