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Colloidal self-assembly

Illuminating defects in crystal clear colloidal assemblies

Nature Materials volume 23, pages 1023–1024 (2024)Cite this article

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A method using low-refractive-index colloids and confocal laser scanning microscopy enables direct imaging and analysis of defects within colloidal crystals in water, providing real-time insights into crystallization processes and defect dynamics.

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Fig. 1: Low-index colloids enable three-dimensional imaging of ionic colloidal crystals in water.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA, USA

    Theodore Hueckel & Robert J. Macfarlane

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  1. Theodore Hueckel
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  2. Robert J. Macfarlane
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Correspondence to Robert J. Macfarlane.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Hueckel, T., Macfarlane, R.J. Illuminating defects in crystal clear colloidal assemblies. Nat. Mater. 23, 1023–1024 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-024-01956-3

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