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Updated: Jul 24, 2025
12:11
Computation of Atmospheric Concentrations of Molecular Clusters from ab initio Thermochemistry
Published on: April 8, 2020
8.2K
Structural phases of classical 2D clusters with competing two-body and three-body interactions
Matheus V Correia1, Emerson J Freitas1, Leonardo R E Cabral1
1Departamento de Física, Centro de Ciências Exatas e da Natureza, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife-PE 50670-901, Brasil.
Summary
Three-body interactions significantly alter particle clusters, causing them to shrink and become self-sustaining. This compaction can trigger phase transitions, revealing novel cluster structures beyond simple pairwise forces.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Soft Matter Physics
- Statistical Mechanics
Background:
- Many-body interactions beyond pairwise forces are often neglected in particle system modeling.
- Even minor three-body terms can drastically alter collective particle behavior.
- Understanding these effects is crucial for accurately modeling diverse physical systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of three-body interactions on 2D harmonically confined particle clusters.
- To analyze structural and stability changes as the strength of a three-body potential varies.
- To explore the transition to self-sustaining, cohesive clusters.
Main Methods:
- Simulated clusters with three types of pairwise interactions: log(r), 1/r, and exp(-κr)/r.
- Introduced an attractive Gaussian three-body potential.
- Evaluated energetics and normal mode spectra for equilibrium and metastable states.
Main Results:
- Above a threshold, three-body interactions cause clusters to shrink and become self-sustaining.
- Compaction can be continuous or abrupt, exhibiting first-order phase transition characteristics.
- Observed novel structural rearrangements preceding compaction, not seen in pairwise systems.
Conclusions:
- Three-body interactions are critical for understanding cluster cohesion and stability.
- They can induce significant structural changes and phase transitions in confined particle systems.
- The findings are relevant to systems like superconductors, colloids, and dusty plasmas.
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