Point defects and ring defects in a nematic liquid crystal in a cylindrical capillary

The bidirectional escape into the third dimension of a linear disclination of strength m=1 (L ₊₁ ^p in a cylindrical capillary with normal boundary conditions is investigated. It is shown that in this case two types of defects arise in the capillary: point defects and ring defects, each of which can be of the radial or hyperbolic type. Exact solutions are obtained for the equation of equilibrium of the elastic field. The free energy of the point and ring defects is calculated approximately in a narrow, long capillary. New scenarios are proposed for the escape of the disclination L ₊₁ ^p . Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 29–32 (July 1999)