Issue |
Europhys. Lett.
Volume 58, Number 1, April 2002
|
|
---|---|---|
Page(s) | 60 - 66 | |
Section | Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1209/epl/i2002-00606-0 | |
Published online | 01 August 2002 |
The freezing transition of flexible membranes
1
Institut für Festkörperforschung,
Forschungszentrum Jülich D-52425 Jülich,
Germany
2
Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Minnesota
Supercomputer Institute University of Minnesota - 308
Harvard Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
Received:
16
November
2001
Accepted:
17
January
2002
The freezing transition of a network model for flexible tensionless membranes fluctuating about a planar reference state is investigated by Monte Carlo simulations and scaling arguments. The bond-orientational order parameter susceptibility is analyzed for three values of the bending rigidity κ, and it is found that for sufficiently large κ the low-temperature hexatic phase melts via a universal Kosterlitz-Thouless transition. These results are consistent with recent theoretical predictions that the crumpled-to-crinkled transition occurs via disclination melting for all bending rigidities and tether lengths. However, our simulations provide evidence that the transition becomes first order at very low bending rigidity.
PACS: 61.20.Ja – Computer simulation of liquid structure / 61.72.Bb – Theories and models of crystal defects / 87.16.Dg – Membranes, bilayers, and vesicles
© EDP Sciences, 2002
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