Novel structure formation of a phase separating colloidal fluid in a ratchet potential

Ken Lichtner; Sabine H. L. Klapp

doi:10.1209/0295-5075/106/56004

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arXiv · 1403.3124

Novel structure formation of a phase separating colloidal fluid in a ratchet potential

Ken Lichtner·Sabine H. L. Klapp

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Abstract

Based on Dynamical Density Functional Theory (DDFT) we investigate a binary mixture of interacting Brownian particles driven over a substrate via a one-dimensional ratchet potential. The particles are modeled as soft spheres where one component carries a classical Heisenberg spin. In the absence of a substrate field, the system undergoes a first-order fluid-fluid demixing transition driven by the spin-spin interaction. We demonstrate that the interplay between the intrinsic spinodal decomposition and time-dependent external forces leads to a novel dynamical instability where stripes against the symmetry of the external potential form. This structural transition is observed for a broad range of parameters related to the ratchet potential. Moreover, we find intriguing effects for the particle transport.

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Ken Lichtner, Sabine H. L. Klapp. 2014-03-12. Novel structure formation of a phase separating colloidal fluid in a ratchet potential. https://doi.org/10.1209/0295-5075%2F106%2F56004

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