Table of contents

While the behaviour of large amounts of liquid is dictated by gravity, surface forces become dominant at small scales. They have for example the remarkable ability to make droplets stick to their substrates (even if they are inclined), which is a practical issue in many cases (windshields, window panes, greenhouses, or microfluidic devices). Here we describe how this problem can be overcome with super-hydrophobic materials. These materials are often developed thanks to micro-textures, which decorate a solid surface, and we describe the way such textures modify the wettability of that solid. We conclude by showing the unusual dynamics of drops in a super-hydrophobic situation.

Since the seminal paper by Esaki and Tsu, semiconductor-based nanometric heterostructures have been the subject of impressive theoretical and experimental activity due to their high potential impact in both fundamental research and device technology. The steady scaling down of typical space and time scales in quantum optoelectronic systems inevitably leads to a regime in which the validity of the traditional Boltzmann transport theory cannot be taken for granted and a more general quantum-transport description is imperative.

In this paper, we shall review state-of-the-art approaches used in the theoretical modelling, design and optimization of optoelectronic quantum devices. The primary goal is to provide a cohesive treatment of basic quantum-transport effects, able to explain and predict the performances of new-generation semiconductor devices. With this aim, we shall review and discuss a fully three-dimensional microscopic treatment of time-dependent as well as steady-state quantum-transport phenomena, based on the density matrix formalism. This will allow us to introduce in a quite natural way the separation between coherent and incoherent processes. Starting with this general theoretical framework, we shall analyse two different types of quantum devices, namely periodically repeated structures and quantum systems with open boundaries.

For devices within the first class, we will show how a proper use of periodic boundary conditions allows us to reproduce and predict their current–voltage characteristics without resorting to phenomenological parameters. For the second class of devices, we will address the relevant issue of a quantum treatment of charge transport in systems with open boundaries (electrical contacts) when studying and simulating an at least two-terminal device.

The traditional distinction between tunnel and highly transmissive barriers does not currently hold for high critical temperature superconducting Josephson junctions, both because of complicated materials issues and the intrinsic properties of high temperature superconductors (HTS). An intermediate regime, typical of both artificial superconductor–barrier–superconductor structures and of grain boundaries, spans several orders of magnitude in the critical current density and specific resistivity. The physics taking place at HTS surfaces and interfaces is rich, primarily because of phenomena associated with d-wave order parameter (OP) symmetry. These phenomena include Andreev bound states, the presence of the second harmonic in the critical current versus phase relation, a doubly degenerate state, time reversal symmetry breaking and the possible presence of an imaginary component of the OP. All these effects are regulated by a series of transport mechanisms, whose rules of interplay and relative activation are unknown. Some transport mechanisms probably have common roots, which are not completely clear and possibly related to the intrinsic nature of high-T_C superconductivity. The d-wave OP symmetry gives unique properties to HTS weak links, which do not have any analogy with systems based on other superconductors. Even if the HTS structures are not optimal, compared with low critical temperature superconductor Josephson junctions, the state of the art allows the realization of weak links with unexpectedly high quality quantum properties, which open interesting perspectives for the future. The observation of macroscopic quantum tunnelling and the qubit proposals represent significant achievements in this direction. In this review we attempt to encompass all the above aspects, attached to a solid experimental basis of junction concepts and basic properties, along with a flexible phenomenological background, which collects ideas on the Josephson effect in the presence of d-wave pairing for different types of barriers.

A review is presented of molecular and mesoscopic computer simulations of liquid crystalline systems. Molecular simulation approaches applied to such systems are described, and the key findings for bulk phase behaviour are reported. Following this, recently developed lattice Boltzmann approaches to the mesoscale modelling of nemato-dynamics are reviewed. This paper concludes with a discussion of possible areas for future development in this field.