The nematic droplets with director configurations intermediate between the bipolar and radial structures have been investigated experimentally and theoretically. The liquid crystal 4'-n-pentyl-4-cyanobiphenyl (5CB) with a variable addition of the lecithin dispersed in polyvinylbutyral has been used. The characteristic textures of the droplets formed at various lecithin contents have been examined using polarizing microscope both in the crossed polarizers and without analyzer. The computer simulation has been performed for proper ordering of the director in spherical nematic droplets by minimizing the free energy in the one-constant approximation. The inhomogeneous boundary conditions with strong anchoring of the molecules at the interface have been used. The distribution of the anchoring angle at the droplet surface has been estimated based on analysis of observed patterns. The simulated textures of the droplets under crossed polarizers are shown to compare well with the experimental ones.

Optical textures and appropriate orientational structures have been studied within droplets of chiral nematic dispersed in polymer assigning the homeotropic anchoring. The helix axis of the chiral structure inside droplets forms the bipolar configuration. The optical droplet textures were analysed in the unpolarised light, analyser switching-off scheme and in crossed polarisers. The twisted loop defect reveals itself convincingly in all schemes. Its appearance at the optical patterns of the chiral nematic droplets has been examined depending on their size and the aspect direction. The existence of the defect has been verified by the structural and optical calculations. The effect of an electric field on both the defect line shape and the orientational structure of chiral nematic has been studied.