IRG1 PNAS waves lrg

Pictured is the illustration of edge-pinning effect of focal conic domains (FCDs) in smectic-A liquid crystals with nonzero eccentricity on short, circular pillars in a square array, together with surface topography and cross-polarized optical image of four FCDs on each pillar. The arrangement of FCDs is strongly influenced by the height and shape of the pillars.