Phase transitions in two-dimensional model colloids in a one-dimensional external potential

Abstract

Two-dimensional melting transitions for model colloids in presence of a one-dimensional external periodic potential are investigated using Monte Carlo simulation and Finite Size Scaling techniques. Here we explore a hard disk system with commensurability ratio $p=\sqrt{3}{a}_s/(2d)=2$, where $a_s$ is the mean distance between the disks and $d$ the period of the external potential. Three phases, the modulate liquid, the locked smectic and the locked floating solid are observed, in agreement with other experimental and analytical studies. Various statistical quantities like order parameters, their cumulants and response functions, are used to obtain a phase diagram for the transitions between these three phases.

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References in corpus (6)

• Light Induced Melting of Colloidal Crystals in Two Dimensions
• Novel Phases and Reentrant Melting of Two Dimensional Colloidal Crystals
• Phase Transitions of Hard Disks in External Periodic Potentials: A Monte Carlo Study
• Phase Transitions of Soft Disks in External Periodic Potentials: A Monte Carlo Study
• Direct test of defect mediated laser induced melting theory for two dimensional solids
• A numerical renormalization group study of laser induced freezing

Cited by in corpus (4)

• The dynamics of colloids in a narrow channel driven by a non-uniform force
• Freezing of a soft-core fluid in a one-dimensional potential: Predictions based on a pressure-balance equation
• Freezing and re-entrant melting of hard discs in a one-dimensional potential:\\ Predictions based on a pressure-balance equation
• Freezing of a soft-core fluid in a one-dimensional potential: Appearance of a locked smectic phase