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Chirality, ubiquitous in complex biological systems, can be controlled andquantified in synthetic materials such as cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC)systems. In this work, we study spherical shells of CLC under weak anchoringconditions. We induce anchoring transitions at the inner and outer boundariesusing two independent methods: by changing the surfactant concentration or byraising the temperature close to the clearing point. The shell confinementleads to new states and associated surface structures: a state where largestripes on the shell can be filled with smaller, perpendicular sub-stripes, anda focal conic domain (FCD) state, where thin stripes wrap into at least two,topologically required, double spirals. Focusing on the latter state, we use aLandau-de Gennes model of the CLC to simulate its detailed configurations as afunction of anchoring strength. By abruptly changing the topologicalconstraints on the shell, we are able to study the interconversion betweendirector defects and pitch defects, a phenomenon usually restricted by thecomplexity of the cholesteric phase. This work extends the knowledge ofcholesteric patterns, structures that not only have potential for use asintricate, self-assembly blueprints but are pervasive in biological systems.

A change in stripes for cholesteric shells via anchoring in moderation