The softening of two-dimensional colloidal crystals (2005).

Content Provider	CiteSeerX
Author	Zanghellini, J. Keim, P. Grünberg, H. H. Von
Abstract	According to the Kosterlitz–Thouless–Halperin–Nelson–Young (KTHNY) theory a two-dimensional (2D) crystal melts when bound pairs of dislocations dissociate into single dislocations. The temperature at which dislocation pairs unbind can be identified by means of the Young’s modulus K passing through 16π. In a previous paper (von Grünberg et al 2004 Phys. Rev. Lett. 93 255703) we analysed video-microscopy data of 2D colloidal crystals, obtained elastic constants from normal-mode band-structures, and confirmed that the unbinding temperature is indeed close to the melting temperature. Processing the same data we now obtain elastic constants directly from an analysis in real space by computing relative mean-square displacements as a function of the lattice site separation. We have also carried out Monte Carlo simulations to check for the thermal softening of the colloidal crystal. Both studies confirm our previous results. We finally compare our results to the corresponding curves for a 2D electron solid on the surface of liquid helium. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version) 1.
File Format	PDF
Publisher Date	2005-01-01
Access Restriction	Open
Subject Keyword	Two-dimensional Colloidal Crystal Elastic Constant Colloidal Crystal Lattice Site Separation Real Space Melting Temperature Electronic Version Liquid Helium Normal-mode Band-structures Previous Result Unbinding Temperature Von Gru Nberg Et Al Monte Carlo Simulation Kosterlitz Thouless Halperin Nelson Young Electron Solid Dislocation Pair Thermal Softening Young Modulus Relative Mean-square Displacement Video-microscopy Data Previous Paper Bound Pair Corresponding Curve Single Dislocation Crystal Melt
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article