Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys. 2013 Apr;87(4):042134. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.87.042134. Epub 2013 Apr 30.

Hard-disk equation of state: first-order liquid-hexatic transition in two dimensions with three simulation methods.

Physical review. E, Statistical, nonlinear, and soft matter physics

Michael Engel, Joshua A Anderson, Sharon C Glotzer, Masaharu Isobe, Etienne P Bernard, Werner Krauth

PMID: 23679398 DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevE.87.042134

Abstract

We report large-scale computer simulations of the hard-disk system at high densities in the region of the melting transition. Our simulations reproduce the equation of state, previously obtained using the event-chain Monte Carlo algorithm, with a massively parallel implementation of the local Monte Carlo method and with event-driven molecular dynamics. We analyze the relative performance of these simulation methods to sample configuration space and approach equilibrium. Our results confirm the first-order nature of the melting phase transition in hard disks. Phase coexistence is visualized for individual configurations via the orientational order parameter field. The analysis of positional order confirms the existence of the hexatic phase.

Publication Types

• Journal Article
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.