How Do Clusters in Phase-Separating Active Matter Systems Grow? A study for Vicsek activity in systems undergoing vapor-solid transition

TL;DR

This study uses molecular dynamics simulations to investigate how Vicsek activity influences cluster growth during vapor-solid transitions in active matter, revealing a shift from diffusive to ballistic aggregation mechanisms.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed comparison of cluster growth in passive and active systems, highlighting the impact of Vicsek activity on accelerating aggregation processes.

Findings

Active Vicsek particles exhibit rapid, ballistic-like cluster growth.

Passive systems show standard diffusive growth.

Growth law is accurately estimated and explained for active systems.

Abstract

Via molecular dynamics simulations we have studied kinetics of vapor-"solid" phase transition in an active matter model in which self-propulsion is introduced via the well-known Vicsek rule. The overall density of the particles is chosen in such a way that the evolution morphology consists of disconnected clusters that are defined as regions of high density of particles. Our focus has been on understanding the influence of the above mentioned self-propulsion on structure and growth of these clusters by comparing the results with those for the passive limit of the model that also exhibits vapor-"solid" transition. While in the passive case the growth occurs due to standard diffusive mechanism, the Vicsek activity leads to a very rapid growth, via a process that is practically equivalent to the ballistic aggregation mechanism. The emerging growth law in the latter case has been accurately estimated and explained by invoking information on velocity and structural aspects of the clusters into a relevant theory. Some of these results are also discussed with reference to a model for the active Brownian particles.