Can elastic constants and surface alignment be obtained from polarized microscopy images of nematic droplets? A Monte Carlo study

We present a Monte Carlo study of the effects of elastic anisotropy on the textures of nematic droplets with different boundary conditions. Simulated polarized optical microscopy (POM) images are analysed for uniaxial nematics with radial, bipolar and toroidal boundaries and for numerous combinations of the splay, twist and bend elastic constant values. An atlas of simulated textures is presented as an aid to understanding new experimental results.