Numerical Simulations of Topological Defects in Liquid Crystals

该奖项支持液晶拓扑缺陷的理论和计算研究和教育。该项目旨在利用液晶的现象学液体模型的大规模数值模拟来阐明液晶中拓扑缺陷的结构和动力学。由50万或更多液晶分子组成的系统的有序相快速淬火的分子动力学模拟将产生拓扑缺陷。将使用各种方法来定位缺陷，包括有限元分析和可视化技术。将特别关注缺陷的核心结构以及流体动力流动对缺陷动力学的影响。学生将接受并行编程、科学模拟和可视化艺术方面的训练。该奖项支持液晶的理论研究和教育，液晶是一种介于固体和液体之间的材料。它们在显示器件等技术应用中具有重要意义，分层液晶结构与脂质双分子层的生物学研究有关。液晶材料的相图特别丰富，其拓扑缺陷结构也特别丰富。拓扑缺陷在一系列凝聚态物理现象中起着重要的作用，包括平衡过程、某些相变和受限系统。该项目旨在利用液晶的现象学液体模型的大规模数值模拟来阐明液晶中拓扑缺陷的结构和动力学。由50万或更多液晶分子组成的系统的有序相快速淬火的分子动力学模拟将产生拓扑缺陷。将使用各种方法来定位缺陷，包括有限元分析和可视化技术。将特别关注缺陷的核心结构以及流体动力流动对缺陷动力学的影响。学生将接受并行编程、科学模拟和可视化艺术方面的训练

This award supports theoretical and computational research and education on topological defects in liquid crystals. The PI seeks to elucidate the structure and dynamics of topological defects in liquid crystals with the use of large-scale numerical simulations of phenomenological liquid models of liquid crystals. Topological defects will be created by molecular dynamics simulations of rapid quenches to ordered phases of systems consisting of 500,000 or more liquid crystalline molecules. A variety of methods will be used to locate defects, including finite element analysis and visualization techniques. Particular attention will be paid to the core structure of defects and the effects of hydrodynamic flow on the dynamics of the defects. Students will be trained in the arts of parallel programming, scientific simulation, and visualization.This award supports theoretical research and education on liquid crystals which are materials with properties intermediate between those of solids and liquids. They are important for technological applications such as display devices, and layered liquid crystalline structures are relevant to biological research on lipid bilayers. The phase diagrams of liquid crystalline materials are particularly rich, as is their topological defect structure. Topological defects play an important role in a range of condensed matter physics phenomena including equilibration processes, certain phase transitions, and confined systems. The PI seeks to elucidate the structure and dynamics of topological defects in liquid crystals with the use of large-scale numerical simulations of phenomenological liquid models of liquid crystals. Topological defects will be created by molecular dynamics simulations of rapid quenches to ordered phases of systems consisting of 500,000 or more liquid crystalline molecules. A variety of methods will be used to locate defects, including finite element analysis and visualization techniques. Particular attention will be paid to the core structure of defects and the effects of hydrodynamic flow on the dynamics of the defects. Students will be trained in the arts of parallel programming, scientific simulation, and visualization