Mechanical selection of chiral crystals

1999 EDP Sciences
, , Citation P. G. de Gennes 1999 EPL 46 827 DOI 10.1209/epl/i1999-00339-6

0295-5075/46/6/827

Abstract

A macroscopic chiral crystal (of size larger than one micron), slipping over an inclined solid support, should glide in a direction which differs slightly from the axis of maximum slope. This effect is linked to two factors: a) the crystal is firmly oriented, through the competition between weight forces and friction forces; b) there should exist a preferred direction of slip on the contact facet of the crystal. Similar effects are also expected with a crystal floating on a liquid surface, and driven horizontally by an external force (e.g., an air jet): here, the shape of the wet facet should control the preferred direction of slip.

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10.1209/epl/i1999-00339-6