On the metastability of the hexatic phase during the melting of two-dimensional charged particle solids
- Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics, Wigner Research Centre for Physics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 49, H-1525 Budapest (Hungary)
For two-dimensional many-particle systems, first-order, second-order, single step continuous, as well as two-step continuous (KTHNY-like) melting transitions have been found in previous studies. Recent computer simulations, using particle numbers in the ≥10{sup 5} range, as well as a few experimental studies, tend to support the two-step scenario, where the solid and liquid phases are separated by a third, so called hexatic phase. We have performed molecular dynamics simulations on Yukawa (Debye-Hückel) systems at conditions earlier predicted to belong to the hexatic phase. Our simulation studies on the time needed for the equilibration of the systems conclude that the hexatic phase is metastable and disappears in the limit of long times. We also show that simply increasing the particle number in particle simulations does not necessarily result in more accurate conclusions regarding the existence of the hexatic phase. The increase of the system size has to be accompanied with the increase of the simulation time to ensure properly thermalized conditions.
- OSTI ID:
- 22252059
- Journal Information:
- Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 21, Issue 2; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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