2014/01/17 by Kobi Barkan, Michael Engel, Ron Lifshitz · 97 citations
Chemistry · Materials Science · Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Aperiodic graph #Chemical physics #Chemistry #Cluster (spacecraft) #Colloid #Combinatorics #Computer science #Condensed matter physics #Diffraction #Isotropy #Lattice (music) #Lattice constant #Material Dynamics and Properties #Materials science #Mathematics #Molecular dynamics #Nanotechnology #Physical chemistry #Physics #Pickering emulsions and particle stabilization #Quantum mechanics #Quasicrystal #Quasicrystal Structures and Properties #Soft materials #Soft matter #Statistical physics #cond-mat.mtrl-sci #cond-mat.soft #nlin.PS
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.113.098304
published in Physical Review Letters 113(9), 098304 (American Physical Society) · Supplemental Material can be obtained through the author's website at: http://www.tau.ac.il/~ronlif/pubs/ClusterCrystals-Supp.pdf
arxiv created 2014/01/17 · openalex publication_date 2014/08/28 · arxiv updated 2014/09/08 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Soft particles are known to overlap and form stable clusters that self-assemble into periodic crystalline phases with density-independent lattice constants. We use molecular dynamics simulations in two dimensions to demonstrate that, through a judicious design of an isotropic pair potential, one can control the ordering of the clusters and generate a variety of phases, including decagonal and dodecagonal quasicrystals. Our results confirm analytical predictions based on a mean-field approximation, providing insight into the stabilization of quasicrystals in soft macromolecular systems, and suggesting a practical approach for their controlled self-assembly in laboratory realizations using synthesized soft-matter particles.