Cholesteric droplets dispersed in polymer with conical boundary conditions have been studied. The director configurations are identified by the polarising microscopy technique. The axisymmetric twisted axial-bipolar configuration with the surface circular defect at the droplet's equator is formed at the relative chirality parameter N 0 ≤ 2.9 . The intermediate director configuration with the deformed circular defect is realised at 2.9 < N 0 < 3.95 , and the layer-like structure with the twisted surface defect loop is observed at N 0 ≥ 3.95 . The cholesteric layers in the layer-like structure are slightly distorted although the cholesteric helix is untwisted.
Keywords: cholesteric liquid crystal; conical surface anchoring; droplet; optical texture; orientational structure; topological defect.