Publications by authors named "V Zambra"
The interaction of light beams with helical defects in optical materials generates optical vortices. Understanding and manipulating the dynamics of helical defects allows for the creation of versatile sources of optical vortex beams. Using a magnetic ring on a nematic liquid crystal cell, we trapped helical defects identified as matter vortices.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMatter under different equilibrium conditions of pressure and temperature exhibits different states such as solid, liquid, gas, and plasma. Exotic states of matter, such as Bose-Einstein condensates, superfluidity, chiral magnets, superconductivity, and liquid crystalline blue phases are observed in thermodynamic equilibrium. Rather than being a result of an aggregation of matter, their emergence is due to a change of a topological state of the system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Electrically driven nematic liquid crystal layers provide a unique environment for studying umbilical defects and their interactions.
- In homogeneous samples, the number of defects decreases over time due to a coarsening process, but the presence of glass beads alters the coarsening exponent.
- Additionally, slightly deformed beads impact the molecular distribution and attract topological vortices, showing predominantly quadrupolar behavior, with a theoretical model suggesting a 2/3 exponent that aligns with experimental findings.