Spatially Varying Liquid Crystal Order: Theory and Simulations
Gavin-Rae Barnaby with Rolfe Petschek
Hard Tetrahedra and shapes close to hard tetrahedra pack well when they are oriented in ways different from their neighbors. The Petschek group has hypothesized that long-range periodic orientation or liquid crystal order explains the complicated crystalline structures...
Petschek
Cole Roberg with Rolfe Petschek
Calculation of Magnetic Interactions Between Magnetic Nanoparticles
One problem yet to be completely solved in the world of physics and material science is the ferromagnetic fluid or fluid that has a magnetization outside of external magnetic fields. Fluids that respond to magnetic fields have been studied...
Philip Smith with Rolfe Petschek
Optimizing the Search for Order Parameters in Quasicrystals
This research seeks to apply existing phase transition theory to quasicrystals in order to develop a better understanding for their underlying physical theory. This will consist of running simulations of hard tetrahedral particles that tend to develop quasicrystalline...
Rachel Capelouto with Rolfe PetschekOrientation Waves in Colloidal Crystals Crystals are usually thought of as the condensation of density waves. However, in some systems, notably blue phase liquid crystals, and, according to recent results in our group also hard tetrahedra, the formation of a crystal comes from the condensation...
Edwin Bernardoni with Rolfe Petschek
Optimization of the Static First Hyperpolarizibility of Many Non-Interacting Fermions
Large non-linear electronic polarizabilities would be advantageous for a variety of devices and have been intensely studied for around three decades. This project will examine theoretical limits on the static first non-linear electronic susceptibility of...