Three-dimensional solitary waves with electrically tunable direction of propagation in nematics

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the creation of stable three-dimensional solitary waves in nematic liquid crystals whose propagation direction can be electrically steered in a plane, opening new avenues for targeted delivery and information transport.

Contribution

It introduces a novel type of topologically unprotected 3D solitons called director bullets with electrically tunable trajectories in nematics.

Findings

Steady 3D solitary waves in nematics demonstrated.

Propagation direction controlled by electric field.

Potential applications in targeted delivery and micro-cargo transport.

Abstract

Production of stable multidimensional solitary waves is a grand challenge in modern science. Steering their propagation is an even harder problem. In this work we demonstrate three-dimensional solitary waves in a nematic, trajectories of which can be steered by the electric field in a plane perpendicular to the field. The steering does not modify the properties of the ground state that remains uniform. These localized waves, called director bullets, are topologically unprotected multidimensional solitons of (3+2)D type that show fore-aft and right-left asymmetry with respect to the background molecular director; the symmetry is controlled by the field. Besides bringing a fundamental novelty by adding a whole dimension to the propagation direction, the solitons can lead to applications such as targeted delivery of information and micro-cargo.