@article{3027005,
    title = "Different modulated structures of topological defects stabilized by adaptive targeting nanoparticles",
    author = "Cordoyiannis, G. and Rao Jampani, V.S. and Kralj, S. and Dhara, S. and Tzitzios, V. and Basina, G. and Nounesis, G. and Kutnjak, Z. and Pati Tripathi, C.S. and Losada-Pérez, P. and Jesenek, D. and Glorieux, C. and Muševič, I. and Zidanšek, A. and Ameinitsch, H. and Thoen, J.",
    journal = "Soft Matter",
    year = "2013",
    volume = "9",
    number = "15",
    pages = "3956-3964",
    publisher = "Royal Society of Chemistry",
    issn = "1744-683X, 1744-6848",
    doi = "10.1039/c3sm27644a",
    keywords = "Grain boundaries;  Large scale systems;  Liquid crystals;  Screw dislocations;  Screws;  Superconducting materials;  Superconductivity;  Topology, Chiral liquid crystals;  Condensed matter system;  Controlled assembly;  Direct interactions;  Disclination lines;  Modulated structures;  Twist-grain boundaries;  Type II superconductors, Nanoparticles",
    abstract = "It is demonstrated that interactions between nanoparticles and topological defects induce a twist-grain boundary phase in a chiral liquid crystal. The occurrence of this phase, the analogue of the Shubnikov phase in type-II superconductors, is driven by direct interactions between surface-functionalized CdSe quantum dots and screw dislocations. It is shown that, within an adaptive-defect-core-targeting mechanism, nanoparticles of appropriate size and functionalization adapt to qualitatively different cores of topological defects such as disclination lines and screw dislocations. This mechanism enables the effective reduction of the energetically costly, singular defect core volume, while the surrounding phase ordering remains relatively weakly affected. The findings suggest new pathways towards the controlled assembly of superstructures in diverse, symmetry-broken, condensed-matter systems, ranging from nanoparticle-decorated liquid crystals to superconductors. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2013."
}