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APS » Journals » Phys. Rev. E » Volume 51 » Issue 2
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Phys. Rev. E 51, R860–R863 (1995)

Theory of chiral defects in Langmuir monolayers

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J. V. Selinger
Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering, Naval Research Laboratory, Code 6900, 4555 Overlook Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20375

R. L. B. Selinger
Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742

Received 8 August 1994; published in the issue dated February 1995

Thin films often exhibit a spontaneous breaking of chiral symmetry. This symmetry breaking can occur on two distinct length scales. On a microscopic scale, nonchiral molecules can pack in a chiral structure. On a macroscopic scale, a striped texture can buckle to form a spiral. Using continuum elastic theory and Monte Carlo simulations, we predict the defect textures that result from macroscopic chiral symmetry breaking and contrast them with earlier predictions for microscopic symmetry breaking. We identify experiments in which each type of symmetry breaking occurs.

© 1995 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevE.51.R860
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevE.51.R860
PACS:
61.30.Jf, 64.70.Md, 68.10.-m, 68.15.+e
 
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