Light-driven dancing of nematic colloids in fractional skyrmions and bimerons
Abstract Materials with full and fractional skyrmions are important for fundamental studies and can be applied as information carriers for applications in spintronics or skyrmionics. However, creation, direct optical observation and manipulation of different skyrmion textures remain challenging. Bes...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56263-5 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832571500413059072 |
|---|---|
| author | Zhawure Asilehan Wentao Tang Jing Zhang Zijun Chen Ruijie Wang Qingtian Shi Ganlin Song Jinghua Jiang Rui Zhang Chenhui Peng |
| author_facet | Zhawure Asilehan Wentao Tang Jing Zhang Zijun Chen Ruijie Wang Qingtian Shi Ganlin Song Jinghua Jiang Rui Zhang Chenhui Peng |
| author_sort | Zhawure Asilehan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Materials with full and fractional skyrmions are important for fundamental studies and can be applied as information carriers for applications in spintronics or skyrmionics. However, creation, direct optical observation and manipulation of different skyrmion textures remain challenging. Besides, how the transformation of skyrmion textures directs the dynamics of colloids is not well understood. Here, we use experiments, simulations and theory to demonstrate that fractional skyrmion and bimeron strings can be created in a nematic liquid crystal (LC) through incompatible interfaced topological patterns. Moreover, distinct topological profiles are realized in the same skyrmion string loop. The light-actuated transformations of fractional skyrmion textures in both straight and loop geometry drive colloidal assemblies to exhibit exotic dynamic behaviors. Finally, fractional skyrmions with arbitrary shapes can be used as templates for a variety of exquisite colloidal assemblies. This work provides opportunities for designing new smart material to control self-assembly and transport of colloids. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-29f2d8a32af5464ca9a962b57cf27400 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-29f2d8a32af5464ca9a962b57cf274002025-02-02T12:33:19ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-01-0116111310.1038/s41467-025-56263-5Light-driven dancing of nematic colloids in fractional skyrmions and bimeronsZhawure Asilehan0Wentao Tang1Jing Zhang2Zijun Chen3Ruijie Wang4Qingtian Shi5Ganlin Song6Jinghua Jiang7Rui Zhang8Chenhui Peng9Department of Physics, University of Science and Technology of ChinaDepartment of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, KowloonDepartment of Physics, University of Science and Technology of ChinaDepartment of Physics, University of Science and Technology of ChinaDepartment of Physics, University of Science and Technology of ChinaDepartment of Physics, University of Science and Technology of ChinaDepartment of Physics, University of Science and Technology of ChinaDepartment of Physics, University of Science and Technology of ChinaDepartment of Physics, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, KowloonDepartment of Physics, University of Science and Technology of ChinaAbstract Materials with full and fractional skyrmions are important for fundamental studies and can be applied as information carriers for applications in spintronics or skyrmionics. However, creation, direct optical observation and manipulation of different skyrmion textures remain challenging. Besides, how the transformation of skyrmion textures directs the dynamics of colloids is not well understood. Here, we use experiments, simulations and theory to demonstrate that fractional skyrmion and bimeron strings can be created in a nematic liquid crystal (LC) through incompatible interfaced topological patterns. Moreover, distinct topological profiles are realized in the same skyrmion string loop. The light-actuated transformations of fractional skyrmion textures in both straight and loop geometry drive colloidal assemblies to exhibit exotic dynamic behaviors. Finally, fractional skyrmions with arbitrary shapes can be used as templates for a variety of exquisite colloidal assemblies. This work provides opportunities for designing new smart material to control self-assembly and transport of colloids.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56263-5 |
| spellingShingle | Zhawure Asilehan Wentao Tang Jing Zhang Zijun Chen Ruijie Wang Qingtian Shi Ganlin Song Jinghua Jiang Rui Zhang Chenhui Peng Light-driven dancing of nematic colloids in fractional skyrmions and bimerons Nature Communications |
| title | Light-driven dancing of nematic colloids in fractional skyrmions and bimerons |
| title_full | Light-driven dancing of nematic colloids in fractional skyrmions and bimerons |
| title_fullStr | Light-driven dancing of nematic colloids in fractional skyrmions and bimerons |
| title_full_unstemmed | Light-driven dancing of nematic colloids in fractional skyrmions and bimerons |
| title_short | Light-driven dancing of nematic colloids in fractional skyrmions and bimerons |
| title_sort | light driven dancing of nematic colloids in fractional skyrmions and bimerons |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56263-5 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zhawureasilehan lightdrivendancingofnematiccolloidsinfractionalskyrmionsandbimerons AT wentaotang lightdrivendancingofnematiccolloidsinfractionalskyrmionsandbimerons AT jingzhang lightdrivendancingofnematiccolloidsinfractionalskyrmionsandbimerons AT zijunchen lightdrivendancingofnematiccolloidsinfractionalskyrmionsandbimerons AT ruijiewang lightdrivendancingofnematiccolloidsinfractionalskyrmionsandbimerons AT qingtianshi lightdrivendancingofnematiccolloidsinfractionalskyrmionsandbimerons AT ganlinsong lightdrivendancingofnematiccolloidsinfractionalskyrmionsandbimerons AT jinghuajiang lightdrivendancingofnematiccolloidsinfractionalskyrmionsandbimerons AT ruizhang lightdrivendancingofnematiccolloidsinfractionalskyrmionsandbimerons AT chenhuipeng lightdrivendancingofnematiccolloidsinfractionalskyrmionsandbimerons |