Related papers: Driven Topological Transitions in Active Nematic F…
We review our studies of elastic lattices driven by an external force $F$ in the presence of random disorder, which correspond to the case of vortices in superconducting thin films driven by external currents. Above a critical force $F_c$…
The dynamical phase diagrams for vortices in clean films, driven by an uniform force, and interacting with periodic pinning resulting from a columnar-defect lattice are investigated by numerical simulations of a London model, and other…
We present a framework to take new measurements in nematic systems that contain active elements such as molecular motors. Spatio-temporal fields of stress, traction, velocity, pressure, and forces are estimated jointly from microscopy…
We propose a reaction-diffusion system that converts topological information of an active nematic into chemical signals. We show that a curvature-activated reaction dipole is sufficient for creating a system that dynamically senses topology…
The nature of vortex flows in the nonequilibrium region arising in the vicinity of phase-slip lines at the S-N boundary are investigated experimentally. It is shown that vortices continue to move when charge imbalance appears in a film that…
The role of boundary layers in conventional liquid crystals is commonly subsumed in their anchoring on confining walls. In the classical view, anchoring enslaves the orientational field of the passive material under equilibrium conditions.…
Topological vortex textures in magnetic disks have garnered great attention due to their interesting physics and diverse applications. However, up to now, the vortex state has mainly been studied in microsize ferromagnetic disks, which have…
Achieving control and tunability of lyotropic materials has been a long-standing goal of liquid crystal research. Here we show that the elasticity of a liquid crystal system consisting of a dense suspension of semiflexible biopolymers can…
The geometric shape, symmetry, and topology of colloidal particles often allow for controlling colloidal phase behavior and physical properties of these soft matter systems. In liquid crystalline dispersions, colloidal particles with low…
Colloids dispersed in nematic liquid crystals form topological composites in which colloid-associated defects mediate interactions while adhering to fundamental topological constraints. Better realising the promise of such materials…
Vortices are point-like topological defects in superconductors whose motion dictates superconducting properties and controls device performance. In superconductor-ferromagnet heterostructures, vortices interact with topological defects in…
Biological tissues exhibit diverse mechanical and rheological behaviors during morphogenesis. While much is known about tissue phase transitions controlled by structural order and cell mechanics, key questions regarding how tissue-scale…
We develop a theory for plastic flux creep in a topologically disordered vortex solid phase in type-II superconductors. We propose a detailed description of the plastic vortex creep of the dislocated, amorphous vortex glass in terms of…
Recent experiments on active materials, such as dense bacterial suspensions and microtubule-kinesin motor mixtures, show a promising potential for achieving self-sustained flows. However, to develop active microfluidics it is necessary to…
Thin film dynamics and associated instability mechanisms have triggered a wide range of scientific innovations, as attributed to their abilities of creating fascinating patterns over small scales. Here, we demonstrate a new thin film…
Growing experimental evidence indicates that topological defects could serve as organizing centers in the morphogenesis of tissues. Here, we provide a quantitative explanation for this phenomenon, rooted in the buckling theory of deformable…
The mutual drag in strongly interacting two-component superfluids in optical lattices is discussed. Two competing drag mechanisms are the vacancy-assisted motion and proximity to the quasi-molecular state, in which an integer number $q$ of…
We report magneto-transport measurements on a superconducting molybdenum-germanium (MoGe) film of thickness $d$=50 nm in parallel magnetic fields and show evidence of a transition from a Meissner state to a resistive state of spontaneous…
We present a systematic study of how vortices in superfluid films interact with the spatially varying Gaussian curvature of the underlying substrate. The Gaussian curvature acts as a source for a geometric potential that attracts (repels)…
Thin cylindrical membranes arise in a wide variety of biological systems ranging from tubular structures on and within cell membranes to in-vitro experiments on artificial vesicles. Motor proteins embedded in such fluidic membranes often…