Liquid crystalline elastomers (LCEs) are crosslinked polymer networks that combine the
elastic properties of rubber with the anisotropic properties of liquid crystals. Multifunctionality …

The essential difference between liquid crystals (LCs) and conventional fluids is their
ordered molecular orientations. Since the discovery of LCs, how to control their molecular …

Liquid crystal elastomers exhibit large reversible strain and programmable shape
transformations, enabling various applications in soft robotics, dynamic optics, and …

Optical metasurfaces made of 2D nanoantenna arrays are emerging with extraordinary
abilities in controlling the flow of light at subwavelength length scales.[21, 22] It has been …

Topological defects in liquid crystals not only affect the optical and rheological properties of
the host, but can also act as scaffolds in which to trap nano or micro-sized colloidal objects …

Topological defects usually emerge and vary during the phase transition of ordered systems.
Their roles in thermodynamic order evolution keep being the frontier of modern condensed …

Disclinations are topological singularities of molecular arrangement in liquid crystals, which
typically occur when the average orientation of molecules makes a π rotation along a …

Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are programmable deformable materials that can respond
to physical fields such as light, heat, and electricity. Photothermal-driven LCE has the …

Topological defects in nematic liquid crystals are ubiquitous. The defects are important in
understanding the fundamental properties of the systems, as well as in practical …

Microlenses are desired by a wide range of industrial applications while it is always
challenging to make them with diffraction‐limited quality. Here, it is shown that high‐quality …