Numerical simulations of nonlinear modes in mica: past, present and future

TL;DR

This paper reviews the study of nonlinear localized modes like breathers and kinks in mica crystals, introducing a new model that enables detailed simulations of their behavior and interactions.

Contribution

It presents a novel model for mica lattice dynamics that captures long-lived nonlinear modes and their complex interactions, including two-dimensional scattering phenomena.

Findings

Existence of long-lived breathers verified at 0K.

Observation of long-lived localized kinks.

First demonstration of 2D scattering of localized pulses.

Abstract

We review research on the role of nonlinear coherent phenomena (e.g breathers and kinks) in the formation linear decorations in mica crystal. The work is based on a new model for the motion of the mica hexagonal K layer, which allows displacement of the atoms from the unit cell. With a simple piece-wise polynomial inter-particle potential, we verify the existence of localized long-lived breathers in an idealized lattice at 0K. Moreover, our model allows us to observe long-lived localized kinks. We study the interactions of such localized modes along a lattice direction, and in addition demonstrate fully two dimensional scattering of such pulses for the first time. For large interatomic forces we observe a spreading horseshoe-shaped wave, a type of shock wave but with a breather profile.