Year: 2019
Type: article
Abstract: We study dry, dense active nematics at both particle and continuous levels. Specifically, extending the Boltzmann-Ginzburg-Landau approach, we derive well-behaved hydrodynamic equations from a Vicsek-style model with nematic alignment and pairwise repulsion. An extensive study of the phase diagram shows qualitative agreement between the two levels of description. We find in particular that the dynamics of topological defects strongly depends on parameters and can lead to "arch" solutions forming a globally polar, smecticlike arrangement of Néel walls. We show how these configurations are at the origin of the defect ordered states reported previously. This work offers a detailed understanding of the theoretical description of dense active nematics directly rooted in their microscopic dynamics.
Source: Physical Review Letters
Institutions: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA Paris-Saclay - Etablissement de Saclay, Service de Physique de l'État Condensé, University of Bristol, Pennsylvania State University, Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire de Physique, Université Grenoble Alpes, Sorbonne Université, Beijing Computational Science Research Center, Laboratoire de Physique Théorique de la Matière Condensée
Language: English
Topic: Micro and Nano Robotics
Subfield: Condensed Matter Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2941873305