Computing with liquid crystal fingers: Models of geometric and logical computation

Kitson, Stephen; Matranga, Mario Ariosto; Younger, Daniel; de Lacy Costello, Ben; Adamatzky, Andrew

Abstract

When a voltage is applied across a thin layer of cholesteric liquid crystal, fingers of cholesteric alignment can form and propagate in the layer. In computer simulation, based on experimental laboratory results, we demonstrate that these cholesteric fingers can solve selected problems of computational geometry, logic, and arithmetics. We show that branching fingers approximate a planar Voronoi diagram, and nonbranching fingers produce a convex subdivision of concave polygons. We also provide a detailed blueprint and simulation of a one-bit half-adder functioning on the principles of collision-based computing, where the implementation is via collision of liquid crystal fingers with obstacles and other fingers. © 2011 American Physical Society.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Dec 12, 2011
• Deposit Date: Feb 19, 2013
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 6, 2016
• Journal: Physical Review E - Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
• Print ISSN: 2470-0045
• Electronic ISSN: 2470-0053
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• Peer Reviewed: Not Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 84
• Issue: 6
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.84.061702
• Keywords: computing, liquid crystal fingers, geometric, logical computation
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/956902
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.84.061702
• Additional Information: Corporate Creators : Stephen Kitson - HP Labs, Mario Ariosto Matranga - HP Labs, Daniel Younger - HP Labs
• Contract Date: Apr 6, 2016