Phase transition of triangulated spherical surfaces supported by elastic chains with rigid junctions

TL;DR

This study uses Monte Carlo simulations to analyze a surface model with elastic chains and rigid junctions, revealing a first-order phase transition between smooth and crumpled states that is unaffected by junction elasticity.

Contribution

It demonstrates that the first-order phase transition in triangulated spherical surfaces with skeletons occurs regardless of junction elasticity, highlighting a key property of such models.

Findings

First-order transition between smooth and crumpled phases.

Transition is independent of junction elasticity.

Model uses linear chains with one-dimensional bending energy.

Abstract

A surface model with skeletons is investigated by using the canonical Monte Carlo simulations. The skeleton is composed of linear chains, which are joined to each other at the rigid junctions. A one-dimensional bending energy is defined on the linear chains, and no two-dimensional curvature energy is assumed on the surface. The model undergoes a first-order transition between the smooth phase and the crumpled phase. We conclude that the first-order transition of the surface model with skeletons is independent of whether the junctions are elastic or rigid.