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Abstract: Topological defects appear in symmetry breaking phase transitions and are ubiquitous throughout Nature. As an ideal testbed for their study, defect configurations in nematic liquid crystals (NLCs) could be exploited in a rich variety of technological applications. Here we report on robust theoretical and experimental investigations in which an external electric field is used to switch between predetermined stable chargeless disclination patterns in a nematic cell, where the cell is sufficiently thick that the disclinations start and terminate at the same surface. The different defect configurations are stabilized by a master substrate that enforces a lattice of surface defects exhibiting zero total topological charge value. Theoretically, we model disclination configurations using a Landau-de Gennes phenomenological model. Experimentally, we enable diverse defect patterns by implementing an in-house-developed atomic force measurement scribing method, where NLC configurations are monitored via polarized optical microscopy. We show numerically and experimentally that an “alphabet” of up to 18 unique line defect configurations can be stabilized in a 4 × 4 lattice of alternating �=±1 surface defects, which can be “rewired” multistably using appropriate field manipulation. Our proof-of-concept mechanism may lead to a variety of applications, such as multistable optical displays and rewirable nanowires. Our studies also are of interest from a fundamental perspective. We demonstrate that a chargeless line could simultaneously exhibit defect-antidefect properties. Consequently, a pair of such antiparallel disclinations exhibits an attractive interaction. For a sufficiently closely spaced pair of substrate-pinned defects, this interaction could trigger rewiring, or annihilation if defects are depinned.
Keywords: line defects, topological defects, nematic liquid crystals, electric field, atomic force microscopy, numerical techniques, polarized optical microscopy
Published in DKUM: 18.11.2024; Views: 0; Downloads: 2
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Abstract: A measurement of an x-ray absorption spectrum of a monatomic sample yields pure atomic absorption essential for the EXAFS (Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure) analysis in cases of a weak structural signal. A construction of an absorption cell to contain vapor sample takes into account specific properties of the investigated element. Metal-vapor absorption cells for the elements K, Zn, Rb, Cd, Cs, and Hg are presented and comments are made on the use of materials and the operating mechanisms of the cells.
Keywords: x-ray absorption, atomic vapors, K, Zn, Rb, Cd, Cs, EXAFS
Published in DKUM: 18.08.2017; Views: 1233; Downloads: 119
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Abstract: The following work presents the use of two different methods for the attachment of different functional groups onto the AFM tip surface. Such functionalized tips then allow for further binding of molecules with different origins and natures, thus allowing for use when measuring forces, and the extent of interactions appearing between two model surfaces and in real systems. Force spectroscopy, in combination with chemical force microscopy (CFM), as used in this study, exhibits great potential for chemical sensing in the field of polymer sciences. In modern wound treatment, it is very important to know the type and ranges of interactions between different polymer materials, which are mostly crucial components of the dressings. Precise measurement of these interactions would help to choose those materials that fit together without the use of additional chemical modifications on their surfaces. Such modifications are often the cause of unpredictable complications during the course of wound healing. This same method could also be used for interaction evaluation between chosen polymer materials with biological macromolecules, which appear within the wound during the healing process. Such in vitro testing could be of great help when optimal wound dressing materials need to be chosen in order to alleviate a patient s suffering after application. Scanning electron and atomic force microscopies were used in order to prove the effectiveness and applicability of the used functionalization procedures.
Keywords: atomic force microscopy, chemical force microscopy, force spectroscopy, functionalization of AFM tips
Published in DKUM: 10.07.2015; Views: 1905; Downloads: 129
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Abstract: In this paper the results of optical properties investigations on plastically deformed copper are presented. The optical properties of the plastically deformed copper were studied using spectroscopic ellipsometry in the ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) range. Chemically pure copper was deformed by applying the Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) technique. During the last decade, equal-channel angular pressing procedure was used for the fabrication of ultrafine-grained metals and alloys. The plastic deformation of metallic materials leads to the production of bulk nano-scale structures with ultrafine grains and cross-sections, which remain about equal before and after deformation. The parameters of the sample were calculated using a two-film model together with the Bruggeman effective medium approximation.
Keywords: ellipsometric spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, copper, amorphisation
Published in DKUM: 01.06.2012; Views: 4316; Downloads: 85
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