Controlling crystal self-assembly using a real-time feedback scheme

TL;DR

This paper introduces a real-time feedback control method for crystal self-assembly, using correlation and response measurements during simulation to optimize interaction parameters for high-quality crystal formation.

Contribution

It presents a novel, interaction-independent feedback scheme that dynamically tunes assembly conditions, applicable to various self-assembling systems.

Findings

Effective tuning of interaction parameters during assembly

Improved crystal quality through feedback control

Method applicable to diverse self-assembling systems

Abstract

We simulate crystallisation of hard spheres with short-ranged attractive potentials, as a model self-assembling system. We show how measurements of correlation and response functions during assembly can be used to tune the interaction parameters as assembly proceeds, in order to obtain high-quality crystals. The method we use is independent of details of the interaction potential and of the structure of the final crystal - we propose that it could be applied to a wide range of self-assembling systems.