Simulation-based Engineering of Micro/Nanoscale Liquid Crystal Devices

液晶（LC）是一类令人着迷的材料，其矛盾地像液体一样流动，同时也具有晶体般的品质（例如，石墨）。令人惊讶的是，LC在你的日常生活中无处不在。你最有可能阅读这篇文章的液晶显示器，液晶显示器！在过去的几十年里，LCD的改进大大改善了我们的日常生活;如果没有基于LCD的技术，我们就不会有笔记本电脑和手机等大多数便携式电子产品。目前的LCD技术只是液晶的一种可能的应用，依赖于最简单的一类被称为“向列型”的液晶。“有许多更复杂的LC类型尚未在技术上使用，并包括在本研究计划中。该研究计划旨在通过一种强大而经济的方法来解决这种缺乏新的基于LC的技术的问题：建模和仿真。我们使用高度描述性的数学模型和高性能超级计算机的协同作用来执行LC的模拟，同时捕获LC固有的器件尺度和纳米尺度（十亿分之一米）特征。这种方法是有利的，并补充了实验研究，难以捕捉LC的快速动态（千分之一到百万分之一秒！）。我们专注于LC的两个创新应用：（1）用于低成本光学薄膜的新型LC材料和（2）用于微/纳米泵和致动器的新型电场诱导LC流。第一个应用将为大型塑料片材和涂层铺平道路，其中LC分散在整个小域中。这些复合材料具有广泛的用途，从美学到节能窗户涂料。第二个应用程序将使微型LC设备的发展，精确地施加力耦合到微/纳米机械技术的电场。总之，该研究计划将开发使用新型LC材料的创新技术。这将为加拿大提供一个新的增长和创新领域。

Liquid crystals (LCs) are a fascinating class of materials which paradoxically flow like liquids while also possessing crystal-like qualities (e.g., graphite). Surprisingly, LCs are pervasive in your daily life...you are most likely reading this text on a liquid crystal-based display, an LCD! The refinement of LCDs over the last few decades has substantially improved our daily lives; without LC-based technology, we would not have most portable electronics such as laptops and cellphones. Current LCD technology is only one possible application of LCs, relying on the most simple class of them known as "nematics." There are many, more complex, types of LCs which have not yet been used technologically and are included in this research program. This research program aims to address this lack of new LC-based technology through a powerful, yet economical approach: modelling and simulation. We use a synergy of highly descriptive mathematical models and high-performance supercomputers to perform simulations of LCs that simultaneously capture both device-scales and nanoscale (one billionth of a metre) features inherent to LCs. This approach is advantageous and complementary to experimental studies, which have difficulty capturing the fast dynamics of LCs (one thousandth to one millionth of a second!). We focus on two innovative applications of LCs: (1) new LC materials for low-cost optical films and (2) novel electric-field induced LC flows for micro/nano-pumps and actuators. The first application will pave the way for large plastic sheets and coatings with small domains of LC dispersed throughout. These composite materials have a broad range of uses from aesthetics to energy saving window coatings. The second application will enable the development of tiny LC-devices that precisely apply force coupled to an electric field for micro/nano-mechanics technology. In summary, this research program will develop innovative technology using novel LC materials. This will provide Canada with a new area of growth and innovation.