Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Qian Zhu, Yang Zhou, Fabio Marchesoni, H. P. Zhang
Summary: This study investigates the dynamical properties and stochastic resonance mechanism of colloidal particles in a double cavity, highlighting the significant effects of hydrodynamics on resonant amplification and noise levels.
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
He Zhao, Raymond Blackwell, Morgan Thinel, Taketo Handa, Shigeyuki Ishida, Xiaoyang Zhu, Akira Iyo, Hiroshi Eisaki, Abhay N. Pasupathy, Kazuhiro Fujita
Summary: We have discovered a superconducting state with long-range, unidirectional spatial modulations in the iron pnictide superconductor EuRbFe4As4, indicating that the Cooper pairs carry centre-of-mass momentum in equilibrium and leading to the breaking of translational symmetry. This PDW state exists at zero magnetic field and independent of other spatially ordered states. This finding contributes to a better understanding of the relationship between superconductivity and density waves.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Maria Penelope De Santo, Lorenza Spina, Federica Ciuchi
Summary: Chromonic liquid crystals have attracted attention due to their self-assembly in supramolecular structures and the possibility to induce chirality. This review focuses on the research on chiral chromonic liquid crystals confined in spherical geometry and compares the results with thermotropic liquid crystals. The effects of different anchoring conditions and chiral dopants on the topologies of commercially available nematic chromonics are investigated, suggesting a potential application in the sensor field.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Francesco Tornabene, Matteo Viscoti, Rossana Dimitri, Maria Antonietta Aiello
Summary: This study investigates the vibration behavior of anisogrid composite lattice shell structures using homogenization approach and Equivalent Single Layer formulation. The use of HSDTs and GDQ method results in governing equations of motion and determination of fundamental frequencies with reduced computational effort. The proposed numerical strategy's reliability and efficiency are verified through comparison with finite element-based predictions.
ENGINEERING STRUCTURES
(2021)
Article
Physics, Applied
Nicolo Maccaferri, Alessio Gabbani, Francesco Pineider, Terunori Kaihara, Tlek Tapani, Paolo Vavassori
Summary: Plasmonics offers a unique method to confine and enhance electromagnetic radiation below the diffraction limit, with potential applications in energy harvesting, optoelectronics, and nanoscale biochemistry. The emerging field of magnetoplasmonics aims to merge magnetism and plasmonics to control localized plasmons or electromagnetic-induced collective electronic excitations using magnetic properties. This Perspective reviews the current state, challenges, and future opportunities in confined magnetoplasmonics, highlighting research directions in hybrid systems and novel materials, and recent developments in plasmon-driven magnetization dynamics, nanoscale opto-magnetism, and acousto-magnetoplasmonics.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jerome Hardouin, Claire Dore, Justine Laurent, Teresa Lopez-Leon, Jordi Ignes-Mullol, Francesc Sagues
Summary: This study reveals that active liquid crystals can develop active boundary layers that polarize the confining walls regardless of their curvature. The accumulation of negatively-charged defects in the boundary layer influences the dynamics of the system and can even fully control the behavior of the active liquid crystals.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jose J. Perez-Grau, Javier Cervera, Saima Nasir, Mubarak Ali, Wolfgang Ensinger, Patricio Ramirez, Salvador Mafe
Summary: In this study, the additivity of ionic currents across negatively charged conical nanopores in mixed electrolyte solutions was analyzed experimentally. The results showed that there is a difference between the current of mixed electrolytes and the sum of the currents of pure electrolytes, and this difference is related to the electrolyte concentration, the sign of applied voltage in the current-voltage curves, and the type of mixed electrolyte.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2022)
Article
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
Niladri Sarkar, Abhik Basu, John Toner
Summary: The hydrodynamic theory of coherent collective motion at a solid-liquid interface was constructed. The system was found to be stable and exhibit long-range orientational order over a wide range of parameters. In stable systems, giant number fluctuations and anomalously rapid diffusion of tagged particles were observed, while the system became unstable in other parameter regimes.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Aref Hashemi, Raul P. Pelaez, Sachin Natesh, Brennan Sprinkle, Ondrej Maxian, Zecheng Gan, Aleksandar Donev
Summary: We develop a linearly scaling variant of the force coupling method for computing hydrodynamic interactions among particles confined to a doubly periodic geometry. Our solver efficiently handles the presence of particles and imposes boundary conditions on the walls using a semicircle kernel. The computational time scales linearly with the number of particles and allows for fast simulations even with a million particles.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jidan Yang, Yu Zou, Wentao Tang, Jinxing Li, Mingjun Huang, Satoshi Aya
Summary: The authors report the discovery of chiral polarization meron-like structures in the emergence of quasi-2D ferroelectric nematic domains. The polarization strength plays a crucial role in determining polarization topology.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Haifa Jeridi, Jean de Dieu Niyonzima, Charbel Sakr, Amine Missaoui, Sharif Shahini, Alina Vlad, Alessandro Coati, Nicolas Goubet, Sebastien Royer, Ian Vickridge, Michel Goldmann, Doru Constantin, Yves Garreau, David Babonneau, Bernard Croset, Bruno Gallas, Emmanuel Lhuillier, Emmanuelle Lacaze
Summary: New collective optical properties have emerged from organized and oriented arrays of closely packed semiconducting and metallic nanoparticles. One-dimensional and two-dimensional topological defects can confine and organize the nanoparticles, leading to unique orientations. The coupling between the nanoparticles and the liquid crystal layers is necessary for fixed orientation.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
A. A. Boopathi, Nitin P. Lobo, Vishnu Deo Mishra, Arun Roy, T. Narasimhaswamy
Summary: Two structurally simple rod-like molecules with a three-ring core consisting of biphenyl and phenyl rings were synthesized to investigate their mesophase properties, molecular organisation, and orientational order parameters. The presence of smectic mesophases was confirmed by X-ray Diffraction measurements. The C-13 solid-state NMR experiments in the SmB and SmF phases revealed the orientational order parameters of the phenyl rings of the core, with the main order parameter (S-zz) ranging from 0.87 to 0.93. In the SmB phase, excellent spectral resolution indicated unimpeded internal rotations of the molecules along the long axis.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Hisashi Murahara, Noritada Kaji, Manabu Tokeshi, Yoshinobu Baba
Summary: The study found that increasing confinement can decrease the catalytic rates of enzyme molecules. The hydrolysis rate of beta-galactosidase decreased with the increase of confinement. The presence of molecular crowders also reduced the collision chance between enzymes and substrates, leading to a decrease in the hydrolysis rate. These results suggest that confined environments at the cellular or organelle scale may affect the kinetics of biochemical reactions.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Lokesh K. Gangwar, Amit Choudhary, Sonal Rewri, Gautam Singh, Ashok M. Biradar, Gajjala Sumana, Rajesh
Summary: We investigated the crystallization of cholesterol in combination with ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) and found that the addition of cholesterol resulted in a reduction in relative dielectric permittivity and a decrease in the transition temperature from ferroelectric (chiral smectic C, SmC*) to paraelectric (chiral smectic A, SmA*) phase in FLC. Crystallized needles were observed at higher concentrations of cholesterol, and these needles exhibited optical birefringence. The needles disappeared with increasing temperature and were not present in the nematic and isotropic phases. The results suggested that the presence of cholesterol influenced the properties of FLC, and this understanding could be valuable in the development of FLC-based biosensors for cholesterol and other molecules.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Aerospace
Lukas Benjamin Inhestern, Dieter Peitsch, Guillermo Paniagua
Summary: This paper compares 2D URANS results with 1D Euler results to identify the governing equations for the acceleration and deceleration of the shock during the starting process. It characterizes the effect of pulsating flow frequency on the starting process and develops a reduced-order model coupled with an optimization algorithm for rapid designs with improved flow starting capability. The optimized design demonstrates dominant startability using URANS simulations. This method represents an essential tool for reducing time-to-market for aerospace propulsion components.
AEROSPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Correction
Chemistry, Physical
T. B. T. To, T. J. Sluckin, G. R. Luckhurst
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2020)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Jean-Francois Sadoc, Remy Mosseri, Jonathan Selinger
NEW JOURNAL OF PHYSICS
(2020)
Review
Physics, Condensed Matter
Jonathan Selinger
Summary: This article analyzes modulated phases in liquid crystals, including the long-established cholesteric and blue phases and the recently discovered twist-bend, splay-bend, and splay nematic phases. The analysis is based on the concept of four fundamental modes of director deformation and discusses how the liquid crystal forms a complex global phase when developing a certain type of spontaneous order.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Cheng Long, Jonathan Selinger
Summary: By analyzing the elastic theory for nematic liquid crystals, three regimes of elastic constants can be distinguished. One regime satisfies the Ericksen inequalities and has a uniform ground state for the director field. In another regime, certain necessary inequalities are violated and the free energy becomes thermodynamically unstable. In the intermediate regime, the Ericksen inequalities are violated but the system remains stable. Remarkably, lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals fall into this intermediate regime, and the nonuniform structure of the director field is found to depend sensitively on the system geometry.
JOURNAL OF ELASTICITY
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Timothy J. Sluckin
Summary: In memory of Maurice Kleman, this article discusses the history of defects in condensed matter, particularly in the context of dislocations, disclinations, and defects in liquid crystals. Maurice's contributions in this field, as well as his interdisciplinary approach combining mathematics, physics, material science, and biology, are highlighted.
LIQUID CRYSTALS REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Timothy J. J. Sluckin, M. Carme Calderer
Summary: This paper gives a brief summary of Jerry Ericksen's major contributions to the construction of the continuum theory of nematic liquid crystals in the 1960s, as well as the consequent giant impact on the field.
JOURNAL OF ELASTICITY
(2022)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Federico Ettori, Timothy J. Sluckin, Paolo Biscari
Summary: In this paper, the influence of defects and impurities on the timing and character of (re)ordering or disordering transitions in two-dimensional magnetic systems is analysed. The classical JMAK theory is adapted to consider the effects of defects on various parameters such as free energy barriers, critical droplet area, and metastable time. The predictions resulting from this analysis are validated using Monte-Carlo simulations and the Glauber dynamics method, providing reliable time-dependent results. Finite-size effects and the dependence of the spinodal line on system size, defect fraction, and external field are also investigated.
PHYSICA A-STATISTICAL MECHANICS AND ITS APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Cheng Long, Jonathan V. Selinger
Summary: Many materials exhibit geometric frustration due to the compromise between ideal local structure and geometric constraints. This paper investigates the structures formed by chiral liquid crystals under different spatial constraints, and analyzes the relative free energies using theory and simulations.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
O. Sova, T. J. Sluckin, S. Kaur, H. F. Gleeson, V. Reshetnyak
Summary: This paper constructs a theoretical model for the electronic liquid crystal contact lens for the correction of presbyopia. The study shows good agreement between theory and experimental data, although the precise parameters of the lens differ slightly from the original design. The model is useful for engineering optimization of the existing prototype.
OPTICAL MATERIALS EXPRESS
(2023)
Article
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
Michely P. Rosseto, Jonathan Selinger
Summary: Recent theoretical research has developed a framework to understand director deformations and modulated phases in nematic liquid crystals. Four fundamental director deformation modes are considered, including a fourth mode related to saddle-splay. The research shows that this mode can induce spontaneous cholesteric or splay nematic phases.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Cheng Long, Jonathan Selinger
Summary: Applied electric fields can induce motion of skyrmions in chiral nematic liquid crystals. A coarse-grained approach is developed to describe the dynamics of skyrmions. The results show that skyrmions move in a direction perpendicular to the induced tilt of the background director.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Cheng Long, Xingzhou Tang, Robin L. B. Selinger, Jonathan Selinger
Summary: In the study of disclination structures in 3D nematic liquid crystals, vectors and tensors are used to represent the orientation and higher-order structure of disclinations based on analysis of director deformation modes and nematic order tensor inside the disclination core. This geometric analysis method is applied to investigate how the structure changes along the contour length under different types of forces acting on disclinations.
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Ayhan Duzgun, Avadh Saxena, Jonathan Selinger
Summary: Skyrmions have attracted interest for their topological properties and unique potential for applications such as data storage and soft robotics. They behave like particles and can be controlled by an electric field, surface anchoring, and light, despite not being real particles. They can be used as building blocks for new experimental efforts and applications.
PHYSICAL REVIEW RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
Xingzhou Tang, Jonathan Selinger
Summary: The modeling of a topological defect with a charge of +1/2 moving in an activity gradient using three methods demonstrates that the defect orientation aligns in the presence of the gradient, offering a potential method for controlling defect motion.
Article
Communication
Maria Priestley, T. J. Sluckin, Thanassis Tiropanis
INTERNET HISTORIES
(2020)
