Random sequential adsorption on imprecise lattice.

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Materials Science
• Statistical Mechanics

Background:

• Random sequential adsorption (RSA) is a fundamental process in materials science, crucial for understanding thin film growth and surface phenomena.
• Jamming in RSA describes the point where the substrate becomes saturated, preventing further particle deposition.
• Previous models often assumed perfect lattice sites and particle sizes, limiting applicability to real-world scenarios.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of imprecision in lattice-site localization on the jamming transition in one-dimensional RSA models.
• To explore how variations in particle size relative to lattice spacing affect deposition dynamics.
• To analytically and numerically determine the convergence behavior and jamming coverage under these non-ideal conditions.

Main Methods:

• Numerical simulations were employed to model the RSA process on a one-dimensional lattice.
• Analytical arguments were developed to support and explain the observed simulation results.
• The study considered variations in lattice-site precision and particle-to-lattice spacing ratios.

Main Results:

• Even minute imprecisions in lattice-site localization change convergence from exponential to power-law.
• A discontinuous jump in jamming coverage was observed for certain parameter values.
• Non-integer particle sizes and broadened deposition intervals were analyzed, identifying regions of different convergence behaviors.

Conclusions:

• Lattice imprecision significantly alters RSA jamming dynamics, moving from fast to slow convergence.
• The findings have direct implications for irreversible deposition on imperfect or patterned substrates.
• Understanding these deviations is critical for predicting and controlling jamming coverage in practical applications.