Stability of topological wall defects on spheres with n-atic order

Abstract

Topological point defects on orientationally ordered spheres and on deformable fluid vesicles have been investigated, partly motivated by their potential applications in creating superatoms with directional bonds through functionalization of the "bald spots" created by topological point defects, thus paving the way for atomic chemistry at micron scales. We show that singular wall defects, topologically unstable "bald lines" in two dimensions, are stabilized near the order-disorder transition on a sphere. We attribute their stability to free-energetic considerations, which override those of topological stability.