2D mobile breather scattering in a hexagonal crystal lattice

TL;DR

This paper presents the first detailed analysis of 2D scattering of long-lived breathers in a hexagonal lattice model, revealing complex collision behaviors and the influence of potential ratios on breather dynamics.

Contribution

It introduces a novel 2D scattering analysis of breathers in a hexagonal lattice with Lennard-Jones and harmonic potentials, highlighting the impact of potential ratios on breather properties.

Findings

High potential ratios enhance 2D character of breathers.

Certain collisions result in 60° scattering.

Mobile and stationary breather collisions produce diverse states.

Abstract

We describe, for the first time, the full 2D scattering of long-lived breathers in a model hexagonal lattice of atoms. The chosen system, representing an idealized model of mica, combines a Lennard-Jones interatomic potential with an "egg-box" harmonic potential well surface. We investigate the dependence of breather properties on the ratio of the well depths associated to the interaction and on-site potentials. High values of this ratio lead to large spatial displacements in adjacent chains of atoms and thus enhance the two dimensional character of the quasi-one-dimensional breather solutions. This effect is further investigated during breather-breather collisions by following the constrained energy density function in time for a set of randomly excited mobile breather solutions. Certain collisions lead to 60$^\circ$ scattering, and collisions of mobile and stationary breathers can generate a rich variety of states.