Edge current and pairing order transition in chiral bacterial vortices

Bacterial suspensions show turbulence-like spatiotemporal dynamics and vortices moving irregularly inside the suspensions. Understanding these ordered vortices is an ongoing challenge in active matter physics, and their application to the control of autonomous material transport will provide significant development in microfluidics. Despite the extensive studies, one of the key aspects of bacterial propulsion has remained elusive: The motion of bacteria is chiral, i.e., it breaks mirror symmetry. Therefore, the mechanism of control of macroscopic active turbulence by microscopic chirality is still poorly understood. Here, we report the selective stabilization of chiral rotational direction of bacterial vortices in achiral circular microwells sealed by an oil/water interface. The intrinsic chirality of bacterial swimming near the top and bottom interfaces generates chiral collective motions of bacteria at the lateral boundary of the microwell that are opposite in directions. These edge currents grow stronger as bacterial density increases, and, within different top and bottom interfaces, their competition leads to a global rotation of the bacterial suspension in a favored direction, breaking the mirror symmetry of the system. We further demonstrate that chiral edge current favors corotational configurations of interacting vortices, enhancing their ordering. The intrinsic chirality of bacteria is a key feature of the pairing order transition from active turbulence, and the geometric rule of pairing order transition may shed light on the strategy for designing chiral active matter.

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Exceptional non-Hermitian topological edge mode and its application to active matter

Nature Communications ◽

10.1038/s41467-020-19488-0 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kazuki Sone ◽

Yuto Ashida ◽

Takahiro Sagawa

Keyword(s):

Lattice Models ◽

Free Edge ◽

Fundamental Principle ◽

Exceptional Point ◽

General Mechanism ◽

Active Matter ◽

Edge Mode ◽

Hydrodynamic Description ◽

Topological Materials ◽

Edge Current

AbstractTopological materials exhibit edge-localized scattering-free modes protected by their nontrivial bulk topology through the bulk-edge correspondence in Hermitian systems. While topological phenomena have recently been much investigated in non-Hermitian systems with dissipations and injections, the fundamental principle of their edge modes has not fully been established. Here, we reveal that, in non-Hermitian systems, robust gapless edge modes can ubiquitously appear owing to a mechanism that is distinct from bulk topology, thus indicating the breakdown of the bulk-edge correspondence. The robustness of these edge modes originates from yet another topological structure accompanying the branchpoint singularity around an exceptional point, at which eigenvectors coalesce and the Hamiltonian becomes nondiagonalizable. Their characteristic complex eigenenergy spectra are applicable to realize lasing wave packets that propagate along the edge of the sample. We numerically confirm the emergence and the robustness of the proposed edge modes in the prototypical lattice models. Furthermore, we show that these edge modes appear in a model of chiral active matter based on the hydrodynamic description, demonstrating that active matter can exhibit an inherently non-Hermitian topological feature. The proposed general mechanism would serve as an alternative designing principle to realize scattering-free edge current in non-Hermitian devices, going beyond the existing frameworks of non-Hermitian topological phases.

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A New Geodetic Method of Examination of Geometrical Conditions of a Crane Bridge

Geosciences ◽

10.3390/geosciences9100438 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (10) ◽

pp. 438

Author(s):

Filipiak-Kowszyk ◽

Kamiński ◽

Makowska

Keyword(s):

Simulated Data ◽

Bridge Crane ◽

Material Transport ◽

Key Aspects ◽

Theoretical Considerations ◽

Proper Operation

Safety is one of the key aspects related to crane-based material transport. In order to ensure safe crane operation and material transport, it is necessary to meet certain geometrical conditions. The authors addressed the geometrical conditions of a crane bridge, a substantial crane component. The paper presents the method to compute displacement components of points on the top of a bridge crane relative to their design position. Theoretical considerations presented in the paper have been verified on simulated data. Keeping in mind the proper operation of a crane bridge, the authors proposed in the analyses the use of geometrical relations (perpendicular and parallel character) between end carriages and girders, not previously included in the available literature. The obtained results show that the presented method may be successfully applied to check the geometry of a crane bridge.

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Unifying polar and nematic active matter: Emergence and co-existence of half-integer and full-integer topological defects

Journal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical ◽

10.1088/1751-8121/ac4abe ◽

2022 ◽

Author(s):

Aboutaleb Amiri ◽

Romain Mueller ◽

Amin Doostmohammadi

Keyword(s):

Continuum Model ◽

Topological Defect ◽

Topological Defects ◽

Active Matter ◽

Defect States ◽

Cell Monolayers ◽

Half Integer ◽

Generic Framework ◽

Active Turbulence ◽

The Continuum

Abstract The presence and signiﬁcance of active topological defects is increasingly realised in diverse biological and biomimetic systems. We introduce a continuum model of polar active matter, based on conservation laws and symmetry arguments, that recapitulates both polar and apolar (nematic) features of topological defects in active turbulence. Using numerical simulations of the continuum model, we demonstrate the emergence of both half- and full-integer topological defects in polar active matter. Interestingly, we ﬁnd that crossover from active turbulence with half- to full-integer defects can emerge with the coexistence region characterized by both defect types. These results put forward a minimal, generic framework for studying topological defect patterns in active matter which is capable of explaining the emergence of half-integer defects in polar systems such as bacteria and cell monolayers, as well as predicting the emergence of coexisting defect states in active matter.

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Self-Propelled Particles with Velocity Reversals and Ferromagnetic Alignment: Active Matter Class with Second-Order Transition to Quasi-Long-Range Polar Order

Physical Review Letters ◽

10.1103/physrevlett.120.258002 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 120 (25) ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

B. Mahault ◽

X.-c. Jiang ◽

E. Bertin ◽

Y.-q. Ma ◽

A. Patelli ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Long Range ◽

Second Order ◽

Order Transition ◽

Active Matter ◽

Polar Order ◽

Second Order Transition

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Programmed mechano-chemical coupling in reaction-diffusion active matter

10.1101/2021.03.13.435232 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Anis Senoussi ◽

Jean-Christophe Galas ◽

André Estevez-Torres

Keyword(s):

Enzyme Reaction ◽

Reaction Diffusion ◽

Reaction Networks ◽

Active Matter ◽

C Elegans ◽

Polarization Mechanism ◽

Chemical Coupling ◽

Pattern Forming ◽

Key Aspects

AbstractEmbryo morphogenesis involves a complex combination of pattern-forming mechanisms. However, classical in vitro patterning experiments explore only one mechanism at a time, thus missing coupling effects. Here, we conjugate two major pattern-forming mechanisms —reaction-diffusion and active matter— by integrating dissipative DNA/enzyme reaction networks within an active gel composed of cytoskeletal motors and filaments. We show that the strength of the flow generated by the active gel controls the mechano-chemical coupling between the two subsystems. We use this property to engineer the mechanical activation of chemical reaction networks both in time and space, thus mimicking key aspects of the polarization mechanism observed in C. elegans oocytes. We anticipate that reaction-diffusion active matter may be useful to investigate mechano-chemical transduction and to design new materials with life-like properties.

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High Resolution Electron Microscopy of internal interfaces in layered materials

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100174734 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 48 (4) ◽

pp. 320-321

Author(s):

Yoichi Ishida ◽

Hideki Ichinose ◽

Yutaka Takahashi ◽

Jin-yeh Wang

Keyword(s):

Grain Boundaries ◽

Mirror Symmetry ◽

Functional Materials ◽

High Resolution Electron Microscopy ◽

Layered Materials ◽

Plane Boundary ◽

Chemical Information ◽

Layer Plane ◽

High Tc ◽

Cubic Metals

Layered materials draw attention in recent years in response to the world-wide drive to discover new functional materials. High-Tc superconducting oxide is one example. Internal interfaces in such layered materials differ significantly from those of cubic metals. They are often parallel to the layer of the neighboring crystals in sintered samples(layer plane boundary), while periodically ordered interfaces with the two neighboring crystals in mirror symmetry to each other are relatively rare. Consequently, the atomistic features of the interface differ significantly from those of cubic metals. In this paper grain boundaries in sintered high-Tc superconducting oxides, joined interfaces between engineering ceramics with metals, and polytype interfaces in vapor-deposited bicrystal are examined to collect atomic information of the interfaces in layered materials. The analysis proved that they are not neccessarily more complicated than that of simple grain boundaries in cubic metals. The interfaces are majorly layer plane type which is parallel to the compound layer. Secondly, chemical information is often available, which helps the interpretation of the interface atomic structure.

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The limits of strain and lattice parameter measurements by CBED

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100154561 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 47 ◽

pp. 518-519

Author(s):

Hamish L. Fraser

Keyword(s):

Electron Beam ◽

Mirror Symmetry ◽

Local Symmetry ◽

Lattice Parameter ◽

Growth Direction ◽

Surface Relaxation ◽

Strained Layer ◽

Axis Parallel ◽

Local Lattice ◽

Strained Layer Superlattice

The topic of strain and lattice parameter measurements using CBED is discussed by reference to several examples. In this paper, only one of these examples is referenced because of the limitation of length. In this technique, scattering in the higher order Laue zones is used to determine local lattice parameters. Work (e.g. 1) has concentrated on a model strained-layer superlattice, namely Si/Gex-Si1-x. In bulk samples, the strain is expected to be tetragonal in nature with the unique axis parallel to [100], the growth direction. When CBED patterns are recorded from the alloy epi-layers, the symmetries exhibited by the patterns are not tetragonal, but are in fact distorted from this to lower symmetries. The spatial variation of the distortion close to a strained-layer interface has been assessed. This is most readily noted by consideration of Fig. 1(a-c), which show enlargements of CBED patterns for various locations and compositions of Ge. Thus, Fig. 1(a) was obtained with the electron beam positioned in the center of a 5Ge epilayer and the distortion is consistent with an orthorhombic distortion. When the beam is situated at about 150 nm from the interface, the same part of the CBED pattern is shown in Fig. 1(b); clearly, the symmetry exhibited by the mirror planes in Fig. 1 is broken. Finally, when the electron beam is positioned in the center of a 10Ge epilayer, the CBED pattern yields the result shown in Fig. 1(c). In this case, the break in the mirror symmetry is independent of distance form the heterointerface, as might be expected from the increase in the mismatch between 5 and 10%Ge, i.e. 0.2 to 0.4%, respectively. From computer simulation, Fig.2, the apparent monocline distortion corresponding to the 5Ge epilayer is quantified as a100 = 0.5443 nm, a010 = 0.5429 nm and a001 = 0.5440 nm (all ± 0.0001 nm), and α = β = 90°, γ = 89.96 ± 0.02°. These local symmetry changes are most likely due to surface relaxation phenomena.

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Structural Transformation of a Germanium Σ=13 (510) [001] Tilt Grain Boundary under the Electron Beam

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100179014 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 48 (1) ◽

pp. 52-53 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jean-Luc Rouvière ◽

Alain Bourret

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

High Resolution ◽

Grain Boundary ◽

Structural Transformation ◽

Mirror Symmetry ◽

High Resolution Electron Microscopy ◽

Structural Transformations ◽

Covalent Bonds ◽

Resolution Electron ◽

Tilt Grain Boundary

The possible structural transformations during the sample preparations and the sample observations are important issues in electron microscopy. Several publications of High Resolution Electron Microscopy (HREM) have reported that structural transformations and evaporation of the thin parts of a specimen could happen in the microscope. Diffusion and preferential etchings could also occur during the sample preparation.Here we report a structural transformation of a germanium Σ=13 (510) [001] tilt grain boundary that occurred in a medium-voltage electron microscopy (JEOL 400KV).Among the different (001) tilt grain boundaries whose atomic structures were entirely determined by High Resolution Electron Microscopy (Σ = 5(310), Σ = 13 (320), Σ = 13 (510), Σ = 65 (1130), Σ = 25 (710) and Σ = 41 (910), the Σ = 13 (510) interface is the most interesting. It exhibits two kinds of structures. One of them, the M-structure, has tetracoordinated covalent bonds and is periodic (fig. 1). The other, the U-structure, is also tetracoordinated but is not strictly periodic (fig. 2). It is composed of a periodically repeated constant part that separates variable cores where some atoms can have several stable positions. The M-structure has a mirror glide symmetry. At Scherzer defocus, its HREM images have characteristic groups of three big white dots that are distributed on alternatively facing right and left arcs (fig. 1). The (001) projection of the U-structure has an apparent mirror symmetry, the portions of good coincidence zones (“perfect crystal structure”) regularly separate the variable cores regions (fig. 2).

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