Melting of colloidal crystal in a two-dimensional periodic substrate: Switch from a single crossover to two-stage melting

Abstract

The melting transitions of a colloidal lattice confined to a two-dimensional ($2D$) periodic substrate of square symmetry are studied using Monte Carlo simulations. When the strengths of interparticle and particle-substrate interactions are comparable, the incommensurate nature of square and triangular ordering leads to the formation of a partially pinned solid with only one of the smallest {\bf G} vectors of the substrate present. This low-temperature phase has true long-range order. By varying the lattice parameter of the substrate while keeping the filling fraction constant, it is seen that the transition from this low-temperature solid to a high-temperature modulated liquid phase can happen via either a single crossover transition or by a two-stage melting process. The transitions are found to be second-order in nature when the lattice parameter is $d \lesssim 9 \lambda$, as confirmed by the finite-size scaling behavior of the specific heat. For the two-stage melting scenario, the intermediate phase is found to be hexatic. The transitions observed in this work are different from the predictions of the KTHNY theory. The study reveals how constraints from substrate periodicity can fundamentally alter melting dynamics, offering insights into the design of tunable colloidal systems and advancing the understanding of phase transitions in two-dimensional particle systems.