Phase transition of compartmentalized surface models

TL;DR

This study uses Monte Carlo simulations to analyze two compartmentalized surface models on triangulated spheres, revealing that both undergo first-order collapsing and fluctuation transitions regardless of their mechanical shape maintenance mechanisms.

Contribution

It demonstrates that first-order phase transitions occur in compartmentalized surface models independently of whether the shape is maintained by the surface or skeleton boundaries.

Findings

Both models exhibit first-order collapsing transitions.

Both models show first-order surface fluctuation transitions.

Transitions are independent of shape maintenance mechanism.

Abstract

Two types of surface models have been investigated by Monte Carlo simulations on triangulated spheres with compartmentalized domains. Both models are found to undergo a first-order collapsing transition and a first-order surface fluctuation transition. The first model is a fluid surface one. The vertices can freely diffuse only inside the compartments, and they are prohibited from the free diffusion over the surface due to the domain boundaries. The second is a skeleton model. The surface shape of the skeleton model is maintained only by the domain boundaries, which are linear chains with rigid junctions. Therefore, we can conclude that the first-order transitions occur independent of whether the shape of surface is mechanically maintained by the skeleton (= the domain boundary) or by the surface itself.