Dynamics and Topology of Symmetry Breaking with Skyrmions

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

We observe that pretransitional order parameter fluctuations of a skyrmion-forming chiral nematic liquid crystal are slowed down for 4 orders of magnitude, if confined to ≲100 nm thin layers. Fluctuating fragments of half-skyrmions are observed in a narrow temperature interval and are explained by thermally activated hopping between the various energy states. Skyrmion fluctuations are accompanied by imbalanced topological charge: positive charges appear at higher temperatures and dominate in the fluctuating region until skyrmions fully condense and negative charges appear at lower temperatures.Received 18 May 2023Revised 11 December 2023Accepted 11 January 2024DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.178101© 2024 American Physical SocietyPhysics Subject Headings (PhySH)Research AreasNematic orderPhysical SystemsLiquid crystalsNematic liquid crystalsTechniquesCollective dynamicsImaging & optical processingOptical microscopySkyrmionsPolymers & Soft Matter