Figure 2. Self-assembly of amphiphiles in LC defects.

a–f, Bright field micrograph of −1/2 disclination (a,d) and fluorescence micrographs (b,e: λ^em 510–562 nm; c,f: λ^em 606–684 nm) showing the distribution of BODIPY (a–c; 57 μM) or BODIPY-C5 (d–f; 59 μM) in and around the −1/2 disclination in nematic 5CB. Scale bars correspond to 20 μm. See Supplementary Information for exposure times. g, Super-resolution optical micrograph showing the distribution of PC-C12 (19 μM; doped with 10% mol/mol of ATTO 488-labeled PE-C14) within a disclination formed in nematic 5CB. Scale bar corresponds to 100 nm. h,i, Fluorescence intensity of BODIPY-amphiphiles (h; BODIPY-C5: ○ in defect, × in bulk; BODIPY-C12: ▽ in defect, △ in bulk; BODIPY-C16: ◇ in defect, □ in bulk) and BODIPY-DHPE (i; ○ in defect, × in bulk) in LC defects and the bulk nematic phase (λ^em: 510–562 nm (monomer): red; λ^em: 606–684 nm (dimer): blue). The solid and dashed lines are fits to the fluorescence intensity in the bulk phase and defect of the LC, respectively. The vertical solid arrows indicate the CAC of BODIPY-amphiphiles in defects. The vertical dashed arrow represents the CAC of BODIPY-DHPE in bulk LC. Error bars represent standard deviations and n=3 for each data point. One arbitrary unit represents 40,000 (left y-axis in (h)), 500 (right y-axis in (h)) or 400 (both y-axes in (i)) rescaled fluorescence intensity units (see Methods for details). The left y-axes were offset to avoid overlap of the monomeric and dimeric fluorescence signals.