Related papers: Optically enriched and guided dynamics of active s…
It is predicted magnetic skyrmions can be controllably moved on surfaces using a focused laser beam. Here an absorbed power of the order 1 mW, focused to a spot-size of the order 10 $\mu$m, results in a local temperature increase of around…
The development of vector optical fields has brought forth numerous applications. Among these optical fields, a particular class of vector vortex beams has emerged, leading to the emergence of intriguing optical skyrmion fields…
Optical skyrmion beams, which encompass two-dimensional topology in their spatial structures, are promising for ultra-dense optical communications and advanced matter manipulation. Generating such light beams via a chip-based approach will…
We demonstrate facile optical manipulation of shape of birefringent colloidal microparticles made from liquid crystal elastomers. Using soft lithography and polymerization, we fabricate elastomeric microcylinders with weakly undulating…
Biological systems exhibit large-scale self-organized dynamics and structures which enable organisms to perform the functions of life. The field of active matter strives to develop and understand microscopically-driven nonequilibrium…
The ability of structured light to mimic exotic topological skyrmion textures, encountered in high-energy physics, cosmology, magnetic materials, and superfluids has recently received considerable attention. Despite their promise as…
Symmetry breaking together with strong spin-orbit interaction give rise to many exciting phenomena within condensed matter physics. A recent example is the existence of chiral spin textures, which are observed in magnetic systems lacking…
The optical properties of liquid crystals serve as the basis for display, diagnostic, and sensing technologies. Such properties are generally controlled by relying on electric fields. In this work, we investigate the effects of microfluidic…
We present a progress overview focused on the recent theoretical and experimental advances in the area of soliton manipulation in optical lattices. Optical lattices offer the possibility to engineer and to control the diffraction of light…
Understanding the behavior and evolution of a dynamical many-body system by analyzing patterns in their experimentally captured images is a promising method relevant for a variety of living and non-living self-assembled systems. The arrays…
We introduce and theoretically analyze the concept of manipulating optical chirality via strong coupling of the optical modes of chiral nanostructures with excitonic transitions in molecular layers or semiconductors. With chirality being…
We report the discovery and direct visualization of skyrmion clusters with mutually-orthogonal orientations of constituent isolated skyrmions in chiral liquid crystals and ferromagnets. We show that the nascent conical state underlies…
The aim of this work is to prove that it is possible to realise an optical system which produces as output a light intensity that can be expressed in the same mathematical form of the spin glass Hamiltonian. The optical system under study…
Topology establishes a unifying framework for a diverse range of scientific areas including particle physics, cosmology, and condensed matter physics. One of the most fascinating manifestations of topology in the context of condensed matter…
An active colloidal fluid comprised of self-propelled spinning particles injecting energy and angular momentum at the microscale demonstrates spontaneous collective states that range from flocks to coherent vortices. Despite their seeming…
With exquisite precision and reproducibility, cells orchestrate the cooperative action of thousands of nanometer-sized molecular motors to carry out mechanical tasks at much larger length scales, such as cell motility, division and…
Chirality is a highly important topic in modern chemistry, given the dramatically different pharmacological effects that enantiomers can have on the body. Chirality of natural molecules can be controlled by reconfiguration of molecular…
We present a comprehensive overview of chirality and its optical manifestation in plasmonic nanosystems and nanostructures. We discuss top-down fabricated structures that range from solid metallic nanostructures to groupings of metallic…
Active particles (living or synthetic) often move through inhomogeneous environments, such as gradients in light, heat or nutrient concentration, that can lead to directed motion (or taxis). Recent research has explored inhomogeneity in the…
Active elastomeric liquid crystal particles with initial cylindrical shapes are obtained by means of soft lithography and polymerization in a strong magnetic field. Gold nanocrystals infiltrated into these particles mediate energy transfer…