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Charged Particles on Surfaces: Coexistence of Dilute Phases and Periodic Structures on Membranes

Sharon M. Loverde·Francisco Solis·Monica Olvera de la Cruz
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Abstract

We consider a mixture of one neutral and two oppositely charged types of molecules confined to a surface. Using analytical techniques and molecular dynamics simulations, we construct the phase diagram of the system and exhibit the coexistence between a patterned solid phase and a charge-dilute phase. The patterns in the solid phase arise from competition between short-range immiscibility and long-range electrostatic attractions between the charged species. The coexistence between phases leads to observations of stable patterned domains immersed in a neutral matrix background.

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Sharon M. Loverde, Francisco Solis, Monica Olvera de la Cruz. 2006-11-13. Charged Particles on Surfaces: Coexistence of Dilute Phases and Periodic Structures on Membranes. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.98.237802

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