Quantifying reversibility in a phase-separating lattice gas: an analogy with self-assembly

Abstract

We present dynamic measurements of a lattice gas during phase separation, which we use as an analogy for self-assembly of equilibrium ordered structures. We use two approaches to quantify the degree of 'reversibility' of this process: firstly, we count events in which bonds are made and broken; secondly, we use correlation-response measurements and fluctuation-dissipation ratios to probe reversibility during different time intervals. We show how correlation and response functions can be related directly to microscopic (ir)reversibility and we discuss time-dependence and observable- dependence of these measurements, including the role of fast and slow degrees of freedom during assembly.

10 pages, 8 figures

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Cited by in corpus (6)

• The Statistical Mechanics of Dynamic Pathways to Self-assembly
• Equilibrium mechanisms of self-limiting assembly
• Self-assembly at a nonequilibrium critical point
• Controlling crystal self-assembly using a real-time feedback scheme
• Do hierarchical structures assemble best via hierarchical pathways?
• Self-assembly of multicomponent structures in and out of equilibrium