The nematic liquid crystal phase is defined by long-range orientational order of anisotropic molecules without positional order. In its simplest uniaxial form, molecules align along a common axis ...

Liquid crystal is a state of matter that exhibits properties of both liquid and solid. It can flow like a liquid, while its constituent molecules are aligned as in a solid. Liquid crystal is widely ...

Ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals (FNLCs) represent a transformative breakthrough in soft condensed matter, uniting the fluidity of ordinary liquid crystals with spontaneous macroscopic ...

Nematic materials are made of elongated molecules that align in a preferred direction, but, like in a fluid, are spaced out irregularly. The best-known nematic materials are liquid crystals, which are ...

Imagine a “smart fluid” whose internal structure can be rearranged just by changing temperature. In a new study in Matter, researchers report a way to overcome a long-standing limitation in a class of ...

Spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC), as a source of entangled photons, is of great interest for quantum physics and quantum technology, but so far it could be only implemented in solids.

A team of researchers succeeded at directly observing spin quadrupoles. This work was made possible through remarkable achievements over the last decades in synchrotron facility development. Liquid ...

Defect bits: representation of two n-bits along a defect line (shown in black). Shown are the orientations of the rod-like molecules that comprise liquid crystals. (Courtesy: Žiga Kos and Jörn ...

The knots in your shoelaces are familiar, but can you imagine knots made from light, water, or from the structured fluids that make LCD screens shine? They exist, and in a new Nature Physics study, ...

Ions influence conductivity and mobility in molecular liquid crystals, affecting electrical behavior, stability, and performance in both established and emerging technologies. (Nanowerk Spotlight) The ...

What are Liquid Crystal Nanoparticles? Liquid crystal nanoparticles (LCNPs) are a unique class of nanomaterials that combine the properties of liquid crystals with the advantages of nanoparticles.