Argonne National Laboratory

Research Highlight | Materials Science

Sculpting macroscopic perfect crystals within perfect crystals
In a study published in Science Advances, researchers sculpted ideal crystals within other ideal crystals. These structures reflect light at controllable wavelengths, offering potential for energy-efficient display and sensing applications.
a) surface designed as a “C” surrounded by background. Left: Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image marked with six different areas. Right: Detailed pattern information. (b) Reflection optical microscopy images with Kossel diagrams corresponding to BPII(100)—or BPI(110)—inside the “C” region and BPII(110)—or BPI(200)—outside. (c) Reflection optical microscopy images showing the optical response of the material at 39.8°C (i.e., within the BPI temperature range) when 3.5 V voltage is applied.

Scientific Achievement

Ideal, defect-free, cuboidal single crystals of arbitrary shape have been sculpted within a second ideal crystal for the first time.

Significance and Impact

The crystals created here reflect visible light at precise wave lengths. By sculpting a first crystal within a second one, it is possible to create switchable optical patterns that could not be produced before and that exhibit extremely fast, reversible transformations under applied voltage. They offer significant potential for display, wave guide, and sensing applications.

Research Details

  • The single crystals were created by assembling blue-phases of chiral liquid crystals on surfaces patterned using liquid crystalline polymer brushes.
  • Advanced multi-scale simulations of liquid crystalline materials were used to design patterns within patterns, thereby sculpting one type of crystal lattice within another with which to guide the liquids’ assembly.
  • The resulting crystals are stable over wide ranges of temperature and undergo transformations with only a small fraction of the power that is required for traditional liquid crystal phases used in modern displays.

Work was performed at Argonne National Laboratory.

DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aax9112

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