Diffusion and Relaxation Dynamics in Cluster Crystals

Abstract

For a large class of fluids exhibiting ultrasoft bounded pair potentials, particles form crystals consisting of clusters located in the lattice sites, with a density-independent lattice constant. Here we present an investigation on the dynamic features of a representative example of this class. It is found that particles can diffuse between lattice sites, maintaining the lattice structure, through an activated hopping mechanism. This feature yields finite values for the diffusivity and full relaxation of density correlation functions. Simulations suggest the existence of a localization transition which is avoided by hopping, and a dynamic decoupling between self- and collective correlations.

4 pages, 7 figures

References in corpus (2)

• Why do ultrasoft repulsive particles cluster and crystallize? Analytical results from density functional theory
• Soft Spheres Make More Mesophases

Cited by in corpus (2)

• Computer Assembly of Cluster-Forming Amphiphilic Dendrimers
• Phase coexistence of cluster crystals: beyond the Gibbs phase rule