Interactions and Correlations of Particulate Inclusions in a Columnar Phase

TL;DR

This paper investigates how particles interact within a columnar phase, revealing long-range, non-central forces that influence particle correlations, defect interactions, and phase fluctuations, with implications for material properties.

Contribution

It provides a detailed calculation of particle interactions mediated by elastic fields in a columnar phase, including effects on defects and fluctuations, which was not previously characterized.

Findings

Interactions are long-ranged and non-central.

Particle interactions affect defect mobility.

Particle correlations and column fluctuations are modified.

Abstract

We calculate the elastic field mediated interaction between macroscopic particles in a columnar hexagonal phase. The interaction is found to be long-ranged and non-central, with both attractive and repulsive parts. We show how the interaction modifies the particle correlations and the column fluctuations. We also calculate the interaction of particles with the topological defects of the columnar phase. The particle-defect interaction reduces the mobility of the defects.