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 |
---|---|---|---|
Fall 2007 |
1 |
Jennifer Ross |
MWF 11:15 LGRT 1033 |
Fall 2005 |
1 |
Anthony Dinsmore
Advanced topics: Soft Condensed Matter Physics |
TuTh 4:00-5:15 HASA 113 |
Spring 2005 |
Soft Condensed Matter |
MWF 11:15-12:05 LGRT 1033 |
|
Fall 2004 |
Anthony Dinsmore
Advanced topics: Soft Condensed Matter Physics |
TuTh 11:15-12:30 Has 111 |
|
Spring 2004 |
Mark Tuominen
Magnetism |
MWF 10:10 Has 136 |
|
Fall 2003 |
David Kastor
String Theory |
TuTh 9:30 LGRT 1114 |
|
Spring 2003 |
MWF 10:10 Has 136 |
||
Fall 2002 |
Anthony Dinsmore
Wong Soft Condensed Matter |
TuTh 9:30 - 10:45 Hasa 104B |
|
Fall 2000 | Nikolay Prokof'ev |
MWF 1:25 |
- ‹ prev
- 2 of 2
Department of Physics