Interaction of a cylindrical particle with planar disclinations of a nematic liquid crystal

An analytical description is proposed for the elastic interaction of a cylindrical particle in a nematic with a planar disclination parallel to its long axis. It is shown that the interaction character depends on the topological charge of the disclination. The force with which the disclination acts on the particle can have both radial and azimuthal components, whose magnitudes are functions of the distance between the particle and disclination and the orientation of the particle with respect to the special radial stream lines of the disclination.