Emergent Ordering in Active Fluids Driven by Substrate Deformations: Mechanisms and Patterning Regimes
Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 058301 – Published 5 February, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/gj7d-vrkh
Abstract
The interplay between active matter and its environment is central to understanding emergent behavior in biological and synthetic systems. Here, we show that coupling active nematic flows to small-amplitude deformations of a compliant substrate can fundamentally reorganize the system’s dynamics. Using a model that combines active nematohydrodynamics with substrate mechanics, we find that contractile active nematics—normally disordered on flat geometries—undergo a sharp transition to an ordered state when the environment is deformable. This environmentally induced ordering is robust and enables distinct patterning regimes, with wrinkle morphologies reflecting the nature of the active stresses. Our results reveal a generic mechanism by which mechanical feedback from soft environments can lead to ordering in active systems.
