Cyclic phase transition of substrate-modulated 2D dusty plasma driven by oscillatory forces

TL;DR

This study uses Langevin simulations to explore how oscillatory forces induce cyclic phase transitions between clusters and voids in a substrate-modulated 2D dusty plasma, revealing a symmetry-driven mechanism.

Contribution

It uncovers a novel cyclic phase transition driven by oscillatory forces in a 2D dusty plasma modulated by a substrate, highlighting the role of time-averaged potential symmetry.

Findings

Cyclic transition between cluster and void phases observed.

Transition driven by oscillatory force frequency variation.

Symmetry of time-averaged potential landscape explains the transition.

Abstract

Langevin dynamical simulations are performed to investigate the formation of clusters and voids of a two-dimensional-periodic-substrate (2DPS) modulated two-dimensional dusty plasma (2DDP) driven by an oscillatory force. It is discovered that, as the frequency of the oscillatory force decreases gradually, the substrate-modulated 2DDP undergoes the cyclic transition of the ordered cluster and void phases. Between the observed ordered cluster and void phases, the studied 2DDP exhibits a more uniform arrangement of particles. The discovered cyclic transition is attributed to the symmetry of the time-averaged potential landscape due to the 2DPS in the reference frame of the moving particle, as confirmed by superimposing the particle locations on the effective potential landscape under various conditions.