Continuum simulation of blue phase I twinning

Abstract

Crystal twinning of blue phase I liquid crystal has been observed experimentally. Twinning in crystals is the joining of single crystals with different crystal orientations at a constant angle. If two single crystals share a plane, it is called a twinning plane. The structure of the twinning plane of BPI twinning has not been understood. We study it by using continuum simulation based on the Landau-de Gennes theory and obtain its structure.