Dynamics of a penta-hepta defect in a hexagonal pattern

 

When a layer of soap bubbles (diameter ~1mm) is placed on a flat glass substrate, a hexagonal pattern (or bubble raft) is automatically formed (see image below).   The soap bubble raft is known to be a good model that demonstrates the characteristic behavior of a 2D crystalline system. We use the bubble raft as a model system for studying defect motion in a 2D crystaline system, and results are compared with a theory based on the coupled Ginzburg-Landau  equations of  a nonequilibrium system(L. Tsimring, PRL, vol 74, 4201(1995).).

Publications:

 

Tammy Tam, Darrick Ohata and Mingming Wu, Dynamics of a penta-hepta defect in a hexagonal pattern, Physical Review E, Vol 61, R9(2000). Paper in postscript file

 

To see a movie of defect motion, click Movie

 

This project is supported by the Research Corporation (CC4612) and the Petroleum Research Fund (ACS-PRF 32904-GB9).

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