Crystallization processes in a nonvibrating magnetic granular system with short range repulsive interaction

Applying an unsteady magnetic field to a 2D nonvibrating magnetic granular system induces a random motion in the steel beads with characteristics analogous to that of molecules in a fluid. We investigate the structural characteristics of the solid-like structures generated by different quenching conditions. The applied field is generated by the superposition of a constant field and a collinear sinusoidal field. The system reaches a quasi steady state in which the effective temperature is proportional to the amplitude of the applied field. By reducing the effective temperature at different rates, different cooling rates are produced. A slight inclination of the surface allows us to investigate the effects of small particle concentration gradients. The formation of a wide and rich variety of condensed solid structures, from gel-like and glass-like structures up to crystalline structures, is observed and depends on the cooling rate. We focus our attention on the crystallization process and found this process to be a collective phenomenon. We discuss our results in terms of the measured time evolution of the mean squared displacement, the effective diffusion coefficient, and the radial distribution function.