SKM 2021 – wissenschaftliches Programm

Bereiche | Tage | Auswahl | Suche | Aktualisierungen | Downloads | Hilfe

SYSM: Symposium Topological constraints in biological and synthetic soft matter

SYSM 1: Topological constraints in biological and synthetic soft matter

SYSM 1.1: Hauptvortrag

Montag, 27. September 2021, 10:00–10:30, Audimax 1

Topology for soft matter photonics — •Igor Musevic — J. Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Topological defects in liquid crystals can be created by either rapid pressure or temperature quench across the isotropic-liquid crystal phase transition and are stabilized either by colloidal inclusions or confinement. Defects appear as point charges or small defect loops that carry integer topological charge. Because the total topological charge must be conserved, point charges and loops in nematic liquid crystals always appear in pairs with opposite topological charges or in chargeless loops. Topological defects in liquid crystals can be used to assemble and even knot and link colloidal structures and superstructures of particles dispersed in a liquid crystal with the colloidal binding energy of the order of several 1000 kT. It has been also shown that micro-droplets of liquid crystals are in fact optical micro-cavities that can be put into laser operation solely by light. Because of the fluid nature of liquid crystals, droplets can be self-transformed into liquid fibers that are excellent optical wave-guides. This makes it possible to realize complex photonic devices, where topological defects act as a binding matter and the liquid crystal has the role of photonic soft matter.