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Active smectic liquid crystals in two dimensions are unstable with noise. Applying symmetry-breaking fields can stabilize them, but they remain less robust than equilibrium smectics against noise.

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Area of Science:

  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Soft Matter Physics
  • Non-equilibrium Statistical Mechanics

Background:

  • Two-dimensional (2D) smectic liquid crystals exhibit unique phases governed by symmetry and dimensionality.
  • Active matter systems, which consume energy to generate motion, display distinct non-equilibrium behaviors compared to equilibrium systems.
  • Dislocations are topological defects crucial for understanding phase transitions and material properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the stability of active two-dimensional (2D) smectic liquid crystals in the presence of noise.
  • To determine the conditions under which the active smectic phase can exist in 2D.
  • To compare the noise stability of active smectics with equilibrium smectics.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical analysis of dislocations in active 2D smectic liquid crystals.
  • Consideration of the effects of thermal fluctuations (noise) on the system.
  • Investigation of the role of symmetry-breaking fields in stabilizing the active smectic phase.

Main Results:

  • Dislocations in active 2D smectic liquid crystals with rotational symmetry are always unbound when noise is present.
  • The active smectic phase does not exist in 2D for non-zero noise levels.
  • While symmetry-breaking fields can stabilize the active smectic phase, they are significantly less robust against noise than equilibrium smectics, especially under weak fields.

Conclusions:

  • The inherent nature of active matter, combined with 2D dimensionality and noise, prevents the stable existence of the active smectic phase.
  • External fields can offer partial stabilization, but active smectics remain fundamentally more susceptible to noise compared to their equilibrium counterparts.
  • These findings highlight critical differences between active and equilibrium phases in low dimensions and inform the design of active materials.