title: Bistable self-assembly in homogeneous colloidal systems for flexible modular architectures.
abstract: This paper presents a homogeneous system of magnetic colloidal particles that self-assembles via two structural patterns of different symmetry. Based on a qualitative comparison between a real magnetic particles system, analytical calculations and molecular dynamics simulations, it is shown that bistability can be achieved by a proper tailoring of an anisotropic magnetization distribution inside the particles. The presented bistability opens new possibilities to form two-dimensionally extended and flexible structures where the connectivity between the particles can be changed in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physics, Technische Universität Chemnitz, 09107 Chemnitz, Germany. gabi.steinbach@physik.tu-chemnitz.de.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Steinbach
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nissen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Albrecht
authors.forename: E V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kantorovich
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gemming
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Erbe