We have a pleasure to invite you to attend the 30th ILCC that will take place in Québec City from June 21st to June 26th, 2026.

Achieving precise control over macroscopic chirality in self-organized systems is a key challenge in the development of advanced supramolecular functional materials. Here, we report a novel class of l...

The study of nematic hosts with anisotropic colloidal particles is reported, but not on the chiral counterparts. Here, the authors report on biaxial properties in a system of colloidal rods with desig...

Optical Tornadoes Created with Liquid Crystals

Scientists from the University of Warsaw, Military University of Technology, and Université Clermont Auvergne have developed a new method to create 'optical tornadoes,' swirling beams of light that can twist and rotate like miniature whirlwinds. Using self-organizing structures called torons in liquid crystals, they were able to trap and manipulate light in its lowest-energy, most stable state, simplifying the creation of laser-like beams with these unique properties. Unlike previous approaches that required complex nanostructures or large systems, this method relies on liquid crystals, which act like both a liquid and a solid. Torons, doughnut-shaped twisted spirals of molecules, serve as microscopic traps for light. By simulating a magnetic field for photons through spatially variable birefringence and placing torons in optical microcavities, researchers enhanced control over light properties. This stable ground-state configuration allows coherent, laser-like emission, offering a new route for compact photonic devices and quantum communication applications. The discovery could pave the way for simpler, more scalable quantum technologies and miniaturized light sources.

The problem of imaging materials with circular-polarization properties is discussed within the framework of vectorial ptychography. We demonstrate, both theoretically and numerically, that using linea...