Pattern formation and phase transitions in systems with non-monotonic interaction

TL;DR

This paper investigates pattern formation and phase transitions in systems with non-monotonic interactions, using molecular dynamics to analyze various phases and proposing new quantitative criteria for phase characterization.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive phase diagram and a novel approach to characterize phases in systems with non-monotonic short-range repulsive and long-range attractive interactions.

Findings

Identified multiple phases depending on parameters.

Constructed a phase diagram in the critical radius-density space.

Developed quantitative criteria for phase identification using RDF and local density.

Abstract

We analyzed pattern formation and identified different phases in a system of particles interacting through a non-monotonic short-range repulsive (r<r_c) and long-range attractive (r>r_c) potential, using molecular-dynamics simulations. Depending on parameters, the interaction potential models the interparticle interaction in various physical systems ranging from atoms, molecules and colloids to neutron stars and vortices in low-kappa type-II superconductors and in recently discovered "type-1.5" superconductors. We constructed the phase diagram "critical radius r_c - density n" and proposed a new approach to characterization of the phases. Namely, we elaborated a set of quantitative criteria in order to identify the different phases using the Radial Distribution Function (RDF), the local density function, and the occupation factor.