PHY-850: Special Topics in CM: Intro to liquid crystal physics
Molecules” of anisometric shapes often form fluidic but orientationally ordered phases, called liquid crystals. Various entities, from small organic molecules to millimeter-size grains, from lifeless colloids to swimming microorganisms, can form liquid crystal phases. In the first part of the course, we will discuss equilibrium liquid crystal systems. We will begin with a survey of the variety of phases in the liquid crystal family. Then we will look into the Maier-Saupe and Onsager theories that describe the condensation of nematic from an isotropic phase. We will investigate the elasticity and viscosity of nematics with both symmetry and material arguments. We will conclude this part with discussions on defects. In the second half, we will look into active liquid crystals, i.e. systems driven out-of-equilibrium at “molecule” level. We will look into the dynamic features of these new systems that result from the competition of orientational order and active stress. This course will be mainly lectures, but compensated by paper discussion, lab tours, and basic experiments.
Course Schedules
Semester | Sec | Instructor | Times / Rm |
---|---|---|---|
Spring 2022 | Shuang Zhou |
TuTh 1:00-2:15pm TBD |
|
Fall 2016 | Benny Davidovitch |
TuTh 1:00-2:15 LGRT 1033 |
|
Spring 2015 | Adrian Parsegian |
TuTh 11:30-12:45 HAS 104A |
|
Fall 2012 |
1 |
Benny Davidovitch
Continuum Mechanics |
TuTh 2:30 LGRT 1033 |
Fall 2012 |
3 |
Mark Tuominen
Nanophysics |
TuTh 1:00 LGRT 1033 |
Fall 2012 |
4 |
Adrian Parsegian
Biophysics |
TuTh 4:00 GASA 104B |
Fall 2010 |
1 |
Benny Davidovitch |
TuTh 2:30 LGRT 1033 |
Fall 2010 |
2 |
Boris Svistunov |
MWF 11:15 LGRT 1033 |
Fall 2010 |
3 |
Kilfoil |
TuTh 1:00 HASA 409 |
Spring 2010 | Adrian Parsegian |
TuTh 1:00-2:15 HAS 136 |
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Department of Physics