Morphology, Polarization Patterns, Compression, and Entropy Production in Phase-Separating Active Dumbbell Systems

TL;DR

This study uses numerical simulations to explore how polar patterns, defects, and morphology evolve in active dumbbell systems, revealing the influence of interaction strength and rigidity on cluster behavior and entropy production.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the emergence of patterns and defects in active matter, linking microscopic interactions to macroscopic phenomena and thermodynamic signatures.

Findings

Softer interactions lead to blurred hexatic and polarization patterns.

Topological defects drive cluster compression and density profiles.

Clusters with spiral defects show distinct entropy profiles.

Abstract

Polar patterns and topological defects are ubiquitous in active matter. In this paper, we study a paradigmatic polar active dumbbell system through numerical simulations, to clarify how polar patterns and defects emerge and shape evolution. We focus on the interplay between these patterns and morphology, domain growth, irreversibility, and compressibility, tuned by dumbbell rigidity and interaction strength. Our results show that, when separated through MIPS, dumbbells with softer interactions can slide one relative to each other and compress more easily, producing blurred hexatic patterns, polarization patterns extended across entire hexatically varied domains, and stronger compression effects. Analysis of isolated domains reveals the consistent presence of inward-pointing topological defects that drive cluster compression and generate non-trivial density profiles, whose magnitude and extension are ruled by the rigidity of the pairwise potential. Investigation of entropy production reveals instead that clusters hosting an aster (spiral) defect are characterized by a flat (increasing) entropy profile mirroring the underlying polarization structure, thus suggesting an alternative avenue to distinguish topological defects on thermodynamical grounds. Overall, our study highlights how interaction strength and defect-compression interplay affect cluster evolution in particle-based active models, and also provides connections with recent studies of continuum polar active field models.