Blue phases have been known to exist in chiral liquid crystals between the cholesteric and isotropic phases. A blue phase as a self-assembled three-dimensional cubic structure with lattice periods of several hundred nanometers exhibits not only selective Bragg reflections of light in the visible wavelength but optically isotropy owning to its highly symmetric molecular structure. Locally, blue phases still exhibit local anisotropic physical properties because of anisotropic structure of the nematic liquid crystal molecules, which make it possible to be easily controlled by an external field. This dissertation studies the effects in blue phases under various external fields, including electrical field, optical field, and temperature. Firstly, we investigated the bistable effect under the influence of an electric field and transition mechanism between various lattice orientations in the negative liquid crystal blue phase. The blue phase exists over a wide temperature range ~16oC, and three lattices (110), (112) and (200) of BPI are confirmed with Kossel diagrams. The red platelet (110) lattice and blue platelet (200) lattice can be stabilized and switched to each other by particular pulse voltages. We also studied the behavior that an electric field induced planar state and electro-hydrodynamatic effect in the blue phase. Additionally, the reflected color of the (200) lattice can be adjusted from 455nm to 545 nm by temperature induced lattice distortions and provided with reversibility. Secondly, we presented an optically switchable band gap of a 3D photonic crystal that is based on an azobenzene-doped liquid crystal blue phase. Two kinds of azobenzene, M12C and 4MAB, were utilized to switch photonic band gap of blue phases and to change the phase transition temperature of blue phase, respectively. For M12C- doped liquid crystal blue phase, the trans-cis photoisomerization of M12C induced by irradiation using 473nm light caused the deformation of the cubic unit cell of the blue phase and a shift in the photonic band gap. The fast back-isomerization of azobenzene was induced by irradiation with 532nm light. The crystalline structure was verified using a Kossel diffraction diagram. Moreover, we also demonstrated an optically addressable blue phase display, based on Bragg reflection from the photonic band gap. For 4MAB- doped liquid crystal blue phase, the trans-cis photoisomerization of 4MAB destabilizes cubic unit cell of the blue phase and reduces the phase transition temperature. We observed the phase sequences of the 4MAB-doped blue phase as a function of the time of UV irradiation. Various distinct phases can be switched to another specific phase by controlling irradiated time and temperature of the sample. Therefore, the corresponding bandgap can be switched on and off between blue phase and isotropic phase, or varied from 3D to 1D between blue phase and cholesteric phase. Finally, we investigated the thermal hysteresis in the phase transition between the cholesteric liquid crystal and the blue phase of liquid crystal. The thermal hysteresis of such a chiral doped nematic liquid crystal occurs over 6oC. Both the CLC phase and the blue phase can stably exist at room temperature and be switched to each other using temperature-controlled processes. Further, we demonstrated two sets of bistable conditions using various surface treatments. In a homogeneous aligned sample, two stable states, CLC with a planar alignment and blue phase with a uniform lattice distribution, reflect light of wavelengths 480-510nm and 630nm, respectively, as determined by the corresponding Bragg¡¦s reflection conditions. In the untreated sample, the CLC phase with a focal conic texture can scatter light and the blue phase with a non-uniform lattice distribution provides high isotropic optical transparency.

Nous présentons des résultats expérimentaux et théoriques sur les cristaux liquides en géométrie courbe. Nous étudions des coques de cristal liquide cholestérique dont la géométrie sphérique impose la présence de défauts topologiques. Ceci en fait un terrain de jeu idéal pour étudier la nature de ces singularités et leurs interactions. Nous observons un total de cinq configurations de défauts différentes, un atout remarquable dans le contexte d’auto-assemblage dans lequel ce projet s’inscrit. Les efforts combinés d’expériences et de simulations numériques nous permettent de décrire avec précision la structure des défauts. La complexité qui caractérise ces nouvelles structures est inhérente à la nature cholestérique de ces mésophases frustrées. Nous montrons qu’il est possible d’induire des transitions entre les différentes configurations, et examinons la dynamique qui y est associée. Nous établissons un modèle théorique qui rend compte de la position des défauts dans les différentes configurations. Nous discutons de l’équilibre subtil entre les interactions élastiques répulsives et le gradient d’épaisseur attractif qui résulte de la nature non-concentrique des coques. En outre, la confrontation du modèle aux expériences nous permet d’estimer les énergies associées aux nouvelles structures de défauts observées. Enfin, nous abordons les géométries toroïdales, et montrons que des transformations de formes peuvent nous permettre d’étudier la genèse et l’annihilation de défauts topologiques. / We present experimental and theoretical results on liquid crystals confined to curved geometries. We study cholesteric liquid crystal shells, the geometry of which imposes the presence of topological defects. This system constitutes an ideal playground to study the nature of these singularities and their interactions. We report a total of five different defect configurations, a remarkable feature in the context of self-assembly in which this work is set. Combining experiments and numerical simulations, we are able to accurately describe the inner structure of all observed defects. The complexity of these new structures is related to the cholesteric nature of the liquid crystal. We show that it is possible to induce transitions between the different configurations, and investigate the associated dynamics. We establish a theoretical model that successfully predicts the equilibrium defect positions in all configurations, and discuss the subtle balance between repulsive elastic interactions and attractive thickness gradients, arising from the eccentricity of the shells. Confronting the model to the experimental data, we are able to estimate the energies of nontrivial defect structures. Finally, we investigate toroidal geometries, and show how shape transformations can be interesting to study the genesis and annihilation of topological defects.