Robust and lifelike order in non-equilibrium pseudo-crystals

Crystal structures are important in many fields of material science, however, such structures often exhibit inflexible order. Future technologies will require the creation of smart-materials that can change their properties on demand and exhibit multi-functional responses. Recent research has shown that order can emerge in structures that are maintained far-from-thermodynamic equilibrium through a process of self-organization. Self-organization is frequently observed in living systems, with artificially self-organized structures also displaying life-like behavior, such as with the abilities to self-heal with damage and adapt with their surroundings. In this talk, I will report a new form of non-equilibrium material that is characterized by robust pseudo-crystalline ordering. This order is sparsely periodic, with integer spacings between neighboring elements. Here, the particle-particle interactions that underlie collective ordering are mediated by wave scattering, which is externally tunable by varying the wavelength of a coherent drive. The sparse ordering allows our system to be exceedingly robust to both large mechanical perturbations and a changing environment.