Related papers: Topological-defect-induced surface charge heteroge…

We show that Weyl points with topological charges 1 and 2 can be found in very simple chiral woodpile photonic crystals, which can be fabricated using current techniques down to the nano-scale. The sign of the topological charges can be…

We show that the stacking of flat aromatic molecules on a curved surface results in topological defects. We consider, as an example, spherical vesicles, self-assembled from molecules with 5- and 6-thiophene cores. We predict that the…

Ions in ionic liquids and concentrated electrolytes reside in a crowded, strongly-interacting environment, leading to the formation of discrete layers of charges at interfaces. Here, we propose a continuum theory that captures the…

We develop a theory of point defects in cholesterics and textures in spherical droplets with normal anchoring. The local structure of chiral defects is described by singularity theory and a smectic-like gradient field establishing a nexus…

By Monte Carlo simulations of a soft ellipsoid model for liquid crystals, we study whether a layer of grafted liquid-crystalline chain molecules can induce tilt in a nematic fluid. The chains are fairly short (four monomers) and made of the…

Surface-states of topological insulators are assumed to be robust against non-magnetic defects in the crystal. However, recent theoretical models and experiments indicate that even non-magnetic defects can perturb these states. Our…

We numerically investigate crystalline order on negative Gaussian curvature capillary bridges. In agreement with the experimental results in [W. Irvine et al., Nature, "Pleats in crystals on curved surfaces", 2010, (468), 947]} we observe…

The microscopic mechanisms controlling heterogeneous ice nucleation are complex and remain poorly understood. Although good ice nucleators are generally believed to match ice lattice and to bind water, counter examples are often identified.…

We explore how chemical patterning on surfaces can be used to control drop wetting. Both numerical and experimental results are presented to show how the dynamic pathway and equilibrium shape of the drops are altered by a hydrophobic grid.…

In order to detect the effect of the surface charge discreteness on the properties at the solid-liquid interface, molecular dynamics simulation model taking consideration of the vibration of wall atoms was used to investigate the ion and…

We describe a novel method to measure the surface charge densities on optical fibers placed in the vicinity of a trapped ion, where the ion itself acts as the probe. Surface charges distort the trapping potential, and when the fibers are…

We study ion condensation onto a patterned surface of alternating charges. The competition between self-energy and ion-surface interactions leads to the formation of ionic crystalline structures at low temperatures. We consider different…

Nanoscopic heterogeneities in composition and structure are quintessential for the properties of electrocatalyst materials. Here, we present a semiclassical model to study the electrochemical properties of supported electrocatalyst…

Nonequilibrium states of quantum materials can exhibit exotic properties and enable unprecedented functionality and applications. These transient states are inherently inhomogeneous, characterized by the formation of topologically protected…

Topological defects are crucial to the thermodynamics and structure of condensed matter systems. For instance, when incorporated into crystalline membranes like graphene, disclinations with positive and negative topological charge…

We study light scattering by a hedgehog-like and linear disclination topological defects in a nematic liquid crystal by a metric approach. Light propagating near such defects feels an effective metric equivalent to the spatial part of the…

Nodal noncentrosymmetric superconductors have topologically nontrivial properties manifested by protected zero-energy surface states. Specifically, it was recently found that zero-energy surface flat bands of topological origin appear at…

Surface electric (charge) noise influences spin defects due to fluctuation of the surface charge density and also the electrostatic potential at the crystal surface. Surprisingly, the two-point correlation function of both the charged…

Active colloids and liquid crystals are capable of locally converting the macroscopically-supplied energy into directional motion and promise a host of new applications, ranging from drug delivery to cargo transport at the mesoscale. Here…

Chemical heterogeneity of solid surfaces disrupts the adsorption of surfactants from the bulk liquid. While its presence can hinder the performance of some formulations, bespoke chemical patterning could potentially facilitate controlled…