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US 11,708,532 B2Granted
System and method for manipulating a colloidal particle
AssigneeThe Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania
InventorsKathleen J Stebe, Francesca Serra, Yimin Luo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods for colloidal particle manipulation mediated by an elastic fluid responsive to changes in boundary conditions, including methods of controlling motion of colloidal particles using wavy wall boundary conditions. Methods for driving transitions in topological defect configurations of colloidal particles using wavy wall boundary conditions.
Claims18
A method for manipulating a colloidal particle, comprising:
- confining nematic liquid crystals within a bounded cell, the bounded cell comprising at least one wavy wall positioned between two parallel plates to form at least one bounding edge,
- wherein the colloidal particle is within the nematic liquid crystals, and
- wherein a geometry of the at least one wavy wall defines an elastic energy field within the confined nematic liquid crystals that is configured to interact with the colloidal particle at a distance from the at least one wavy wall,
- the elastic energy field defining, at a distance from the at least one wavy wall, metastable loci that are attractive to the colloidal particle and unstable loci that are repulsive to the colloidal particle.
1 more element
A system, comprising:
- a bounded cell, the bounded cell comprising at least one wavy wall disposed between two parallel plates to form at least one bounding edge;
- nematic liquid crystals confined within the bounded cell;
- and
- a colloidal particle disposed within the nematic liquid crystals,
- a geometry of the at least one wavy wall defining an elastic energy field within the confined nematic liquid crystals configured to interact with the colloidal particle, the elastic energy field defining, at a distance from the wavy wall, metastable loci that are attractive to the colloidal particle and unstable loci that are repulsive to the colloidal particle.
2 more elements
A system, comprising:
- a bounded cell, the bounded cell comprising at least one wavy wall disposed between two parallel plates to form at least one bounding edge;
- nematic liquid crystals confined within the bounded cell;
- and
- a colloidal particle disposed within the nematic liquid crystals,
- a geometry of the at least one wavy wall defining an elastic energy field within the confined nematic liquid crystals configured to interact with the colloidal particle such that the colloidal particle is encouraged to a stable location within the system, the elastic energy field defining, at a distance from the wavy wall, metastable loci that are attractive to the colloidal particle and unstable loci that are repulsive to the colloidal particle.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.