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Project C3

Phase Transitions of Two-Dimensional Paramagnetic Colloids in External Fields

Project leaders

  1. Prof. Dr. Christos N. Likos
  2. Prof. Dr. Hartmut Löwen

Summary

In collaboration with C2, we continue to study paramagnetic colloidal particles confined to two dimensions in an external magnetic field by theory and computer simulations, in various equilibrium and non-equilibrium situations: In equilibrium, binary mixtures in a tilted magnetic field and in an additional gravitational field will be considered. Also bi- and multilayers of particles moving out of the confining plane and the effect of fluctuating dipoles relevant at low magnetic field strengths will be examined and dynamical equilibrium correlations will be considered. As far as nonequilibrium effects are concerned, a field-quench will be studied to access dynamical crystallization phenomena. Furthermore, the influence of an additional laser-optical field which pushes the colloidal particles according to its light pressure will be examined including full nonequilibrium situations like relaxation processes and periodic modulations of the laser intensity. Finally we shall examine flow effects in the droplet containing the suspended particles.