Research introduction
Liquid crystals are best known for their use in computer or mobile displays. For these applications, the liquid crystals should be well aligned and free of imperfections. However, interesting properties emerge when imperfections do occur and when these materials are forced to form localised regions of disorder called topological defects.
We are interested in studying how topological defects form in liquid crystals. For example, we look at how liquid crystal defects can be used for optics beyond liquid crystal displays, such as tunable liquid micro-lenses, light-guides and diffraction gratings.
We also explore the analogy with the behaviour of many types of cells, which are elongated and tend to align with each other like liquid crystal molecules. As liquid crystals, they also form topological defects, and there is increasing evidence that defects in cell systems are involved in biological processes such as cell apoptosis (death) or the formation of protrusions or tubes from layers of cells. So we are using concepts and methods borrowed from liquid crystal physics to control, direct and analyse topological defects in layers of cells.
