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Despite being larger in size colloids share many statistical properties with atomic systems, both being driven by
the same underlying mechanisms. Moreover, convenient tunability of the interparticle interaction defines colloids
as the most versatile model system to study fundamental problems in condensed matter physics. While the
collective behaviors of colloidal systems reveal important structural properties, single particle fluctuations explain
dissipation, diffusion or transport phenomena. In the first part of this talk I will discuss a structural feature - defect
configuration and migration in entropic crystals, as studied in square platelet colloids. The results disclose the
mechanism of defect propagation and its manifestations in different fascinating aspects, including self-healing, in
entropically driven systems. In the next part, I will speak on single particle fluctuations, briefly citing a couple of
experiments that unfold intriguing dissipation, diffusion and relaxation properties. This part will also include
works on theoretical modeling and computer simulations that address crucial challenges in particle tracking
microrheology experiments. |