Formation and Fluctuation of Two-dimensional Dodecagonal Quasicrystal

TL;DR

This study uses simulations to explore how two-dimensional dodecagonal quasicrystals form from patchy particles, revealing a multi-stage process involving initial hexagonal structures, motif nucleation, and expansion, with fluctuations driven by motif network changes.

Contribution

It uncovers the formation mechanism of 2D dodecagonal quasicrystals from patchy particles and compares it with isotropic systems, highlighting shared formation and fluctuation processes.

Findings

Formation involves initial hexagonal structures followed by motif nucleation.

Dodecagonal motifs expand through collective particle motion.

Fluctuations are characterized by changes in motif network connectivity.

Abstract

The self-assembly of two-dimensional dodecagonal quasicrystal (DDQC) from patchy particles are investigated by Brownian dynamics simulations. The patchy particle has a five-fold rotational symmetry pattern described by the spherical harmonics $Y_{55}$. From the formation of the DDQC obtained by an annealing process, we find the following mechanism. The early stage of the dynamics is dominated by hexagonal structures. Then, nucleation of dodecagonal motifs appears by particle rearrangement, and finally the motifs expand whole system. The transition from the hexagonal structure into the dodecagonal motif is made by the collective rational motion of the particles. The DDQC consists of clusters of dodecagonal motifs, which can be classified into several packing structures. By the analyses of the DDQC under fixed temperature, we find the fluctuations are characterised by changes in the network of the dodecagonal motifs. Finally we compare the DDQC assembled from the patchy particle system and isotropic particle system. The two systems both share a similar mechanism of the formation and fluctuation of DDQC.