Do cylinders exhibit a cubatic phase?

TL;DR

This study explores whether freely rotating cylinders with a specific aspect ratio can form a cubatic phase, using theoretical analysis and Monte Carlo simulations, which do not confirm the phase but reveal other interesting behaviors.

Contribution

The paper provides a theoretical framework and simulation results examining phase behavior of cylinders, specifically addressing the existence of cubatic phases.

Findings

Monte Carlo simulations do not confirm the existence of a cubatic phase in cylinders.

An unexpected phase behavior was observed between isotropic and crystalline phases.

Theoretical arguments suggest conditions under which a cubatic phase might occur.

Abstract

We investigate the possibility that freely rotating cylinders with an aspect ratio $L/D=0.9$ exhibit a cubatic phase similar to the one found for a system of cut-spheres. We present theoretical arguments why a cubatic phase might occur in this particular system. Monte Carlo simulations do not confirm the existence of a cubatic phase for cylinders. However, they do reveal an unexpected phase behavior between the isotropic and crystalline phase.