GP2 - Birmingham Workshop Program: Topological defects in nematics as charged quasi-particles

Session Information

Location: Physics West 117 | School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Birmingham
Day: 2. Wednesday 22nd April
Time: 09:00-09:40
Chairperson: Tom Lancaster

Presentation Details

Presentation Type: Oral | Invited
Title: Topological defects in nematics as charged quasi-particles
Abstract: Nematic fluids are characterised by internal orientational order, which upon tuning or frustration, can exhibit topological defects. In active or driven nematics, also topological defects emerge as dynamic objects that exhibit complex regular or irregular dynamics. Here, we show selected results on electically (ionically) charged topological defects in static and dynamic systems of nematic complex fluids. We show the role of main coupling mechanisms between the electric charges and the nematic orientational order, especially aiming at the design and control of the spatial charge density and the emergent electric currents.

Presenter

Prof Miha Ravnik
University of Ljubljana | Slovenia

Authors

1. Ravnik, Miha | University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics