arXiv subjects

Roya Zandi

Publications and source records attributed to Roya Zandi.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

Effect of Curvature and Confinement on the Casimir-Polder Interaction

Modifications of Casimir-Polder interactions due to confinement inside a cylindrical cavity and due to curvature in- and outside the cavity are studied. We consider a perfectly conducting cylindrical shell with a single particle (atom or macroscopic sphere) located next to its interior or exterior surface, or two atoms placed inside the shell. By employing the scattering approach, we obtain the particle-cavity interaction and the modification of the two-particle interaction due to the cavity. We consider both retardation and thermal effects. While for the atoms a dipole description is sufficient, for the macroscopic sphere we sum (numerically) over many multipole fluctuations to compute the interaction at short separations. In the latter limit we compare to the proximity approximation and a gradient expansion and find agreement. Our results indicate an confinement induced suppression of the force between atoms. General criteria for suppression and enhancement of Casimir interactions due to confinement are discussed.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2014

Calculating Casimir interactions for Periodic Surface Relief Gratings using the C-Method

We develop a formalism to calculate the fluctuation-induced interactions in periodic systems. The formalism, which combines the scattering theory with the C method borrowed from electromagnetic gratings studies, is suitable and efficient for the calculation of the Casimir forces involving surface relief gratings. We apply the developed technique to obtain the energy and lateral force for simple 1-D sinusoidal gratings. Using this formalism we derived known asymptotic expressions that were previously obtained through perturbative approximations. At close separation, our numerical results match those obtained by the proximity force approximation and its first correction using the derivative expansion.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

Scattering Approach for Fluctuation--Induced Interactions at Fluid Interfaces

We develop the scattering formalism to calculate the interaction between colloidal particles trapped at a fluid interface. Since, in addition to the interface, the colloids may also fluctuate in this system, we implement the fluctuation of the boundaries into the scattering formalism and investigate how the interaction between colloids is modified by their fluctuations. This general method can be applied to any number of colloids with various geometries at an interface. We apply the formalism derived in this work to a system of spherical colloids at the interface between two fluid phases. For two spherical colloids, this method very effectively reproduces the previous known results. For three particles we find analytical expressions for the large separation asymptotic energies and numerically calculate the Casimir interaction at all separations. Our results show an interesting three body effect for fixed and fluctuating colloids. While the three body effect strengthens the attractive interaction between fluctuating colloids, it diminishes the attractive force between colloids fixed at an interface.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2012

Impact of Charge Variation on the Encapsulation of Nanoparticles by Virus Coat Proteins

Electrostatic interaction is the driving force for the encapsulation by virus coat proteins of nanoparticles such as quantum dots, gold particles and magnetic beads for, e.g., imaging and therapeutic purposes. In recent experimental work, Daniel et al. [ACS Nano 4 (2010), 3853-3860] found the encapsulation efficiency to sensitively depend on the interplay between the surface charge density of negatively charged gold nanoparticles and the number of positive charges on the RNA binding domains of the proteins. Surprisingly, these experiments reveal that despite the highly cooperative nature of the co-assembly at low pH, the efficiency of encapsulation is a gradual function of their surface charge density. We present a simple all-or-nothing mass action law combined with an electrostatic interaction model to explain the experiments. We find quantitative agreement with experimental observations, supporting the existence of a natural statistical charge distribution between nanoparticles.

physics.bio-ph↗

arXiv2012

Collective charge fluctuations and Casimir interactions for quasi one-dimensional metals

We investigate the Casimir interaction between two parallel metallic cylinders and between a metallic cylinder and plate. The material properties of the metallic objects are implemented by the plasma, Drude and perfect metal model dielectric functions. We calculate the Casimir interaction numerically at all separation distances and analytically at large separations. The large-distance asymptotic interaction between one plasma cylinder parallel to another plasma cylinder or plate does not depend on the material properties, but for a Drude cylinder it depends on the dc conductivity $σ$. At intermediate separations, for plasma cylinders the asymptotic interaction depends on the plasma wave length $λ_{\rm p}$ while for Drude cylinders the Casimir interaction can become independent of the material properties. We confirm the analytical results by the numerics and show that at short separations, the numerical results approach the proximity force approximation.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2011

Fluctuation-induced forces between inclusions in a fluid membrane under tension

We discuss the fluctuation-induced force, a finite-temperature analog of the Casimir force, between two inclusions embedded in a fluid membrane under tension. We suggest a method to calculate this Casimir interaction in the most general case, where membrane fluctuations are governed by the combined action of surface tension, bending modulus, and the Gaussian rigidity. We find that the surface tension strongly modifies the power law in the separation dependence of the Casimir interaction. This results in a strong suppression of the Casimir force at separations beyond a characteristic length, which could affect protein aggregation dynamics in cell membranes.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2011

Universality versus material dependence of fluctuation forces between metallic wires

We calculate the Casimir interaction between two parallel wires and between a wire and a metall plate. The dielectric properties of the objects are described by the plasma, Drude and perfect metal models. We find that at asymptotically large separation interactions involving plasma wires and/or plates are independent of the material properties, but depend on the dc conductivity $σ$ for Drude wires. Counterintuitively, at intermediate separations the interaction involving Drude wires can become independent of $σ$. At smaller separations, we compute the interaction numerically and observe an approach to the proximity approximation.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2010

Quantum and thermal Casimir interaction between a sphere and a plate: Comparison of Drude and plasma models

We calculate the Casimir interaction between a sphere and a plate, both described by the plasma model, the Drude model, or generalizations of the two models. We compare the results at both zero and finite temperatures. At asymptotically large separations we obtain analytical results for the interaction that reveal a non-universal, i.e., material dependent interaction for the plasma model. The latter result contains the asymptotic interaction for Drude metals and perfect reflectors as different but universal limiting cases. This observation is related to the screening of a static magnetic field by a London superconductor. For small separations we find corrections to the proximity force approximation (PFA) that support correlations between geometry and material properties that are not captured by the Lifshitz theory. Our results at finite temperatures reveal for Drude metals a non-monotonic temperature dependence of the Casimir free energy and a negative entropy over a sizeable range of separations.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2010

Boundary conditions and the critical Casimir force on an Ising model film: exact results in one and two dimensions

Finite size effect in critical systems can be interpreted as universal Casimir forces. Here we compare the Casimir force for free, periodic and antiperiodic boundary conditions in the exactly calculable case of the Ising model in one and two dimensions. We employ a new procedure which allows us to calculate the Casimir force with periodic and antiperiodic boundary conditions analytically in a transparent manner. Quite interestingly, we find an attractive Casimir force for the case of periodic boundary condition but a repulsive Casimir force for the anti-periodic one.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2009

Thermodynamics of nano-spheres encapsulated in virus capsids

We investigate the thermodynamics of complexation of functionalized charged nano-spheres with viral proteins. The physics of this problem is governed by electrostatic interaction between the proteins and the nano-sphere cores (screened by salt ions), but also by configurational degrees of freedom of the charged protein N-tails. We approach the problem by constructing an appropriate complexation free energy functional. On the basis of both numerical and analytical studies of this functional we construct the phase diagram for the assembly which contains the information on the assembled structures that appear in the thermodynamical equilibrium, depending on the size and surface charge density of the nano-sphere cores. We show that both the nano-sphere core charge as well as its radius determine the size of the capsid that forms around the core.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2009

Attachment and detachment rate distributions in deep-bed filtration

We study the transport and deposition dynamics of colloids in saturated porous media under unfavorable filtering conditions. As an alternative to traditional convection-diffusion or more detailed numerical models, we consider a mean-field description in which the attachment and detachment processes are characterized by an entire spectrum of rate constants, ranging from shallow traps which mostly account for hydrodynamic dispersivity, all the way to the permanent traps associated with physical straining. The model has an analytical solution which allows analysis of its properties including the long-time asymptotic behavior and the profile of the deposition curves. Furthermore, the model gives rise to a filtering front whose structure, stability, and propagation velocity are examined. Based on these results, we propose an experimental protocol to determine the parameters of the model.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2007

Thinning of superfluid films below the critical point

Experiments on $^4$He films reveal an attractive Casimir-like force at the bulk $λ$-point, and in the superfluid regime. Previous work has explained the magnitude of this force at the $λ$ transition and deep in the superfluid region but not the substantial attractive force immediately below the $λ$-point. Utilizing a simple mean-field calculation renormalized by critical fluctuations we obtain an effective Casimir force that is qualitatively consistent with the scaling function $\vartheta$ obtained by collapse of experimental data.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2005

Mechanical Properties of Viral Capsids

Viruses are known to tolerate wide ranges of pH and salt conditions and to withstand internal pressures as high as 100 atmospheres. In this paper we investigate the mechanical properties of viral capsids, calling explicit attention to the inhomogeneity of the shells that is inherent to their discrete and polyhedral nature. We calculate the distribution of stress in these capsids and analyze their response to isotropic internal pressure (arising, for instance, from genome confinement and/or osmotic activity). We compare our results with appropriate generalizations of classical (i.e., continuum) elasticity theory. We also examine competing mechanisms for viral shell failure, e.g., in-plane crack formation versus radial bursting. The biological consequences of the special stabilities and stress distributions of viral capsids are also discussed.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2004

Apex Exponents for Polymer--Probe Interactions

We consider self-avoiding polymers attached to the tip of an impenetrable probe. The scaling exponents $γ_1$ and $γ_2$, characterizing the number of configurations for the attachment of the polymer by one end, or at its midpoint, vary continuously with the tip's angle. These apex exponents are calculated analytically by $ε$-expansion, and numerically by simulations in three dimensions. We find that when the polymer can move through the attachment point, it typically slides to one end; the apex exponents quantify the entropic barrier to threading the eye of the probe.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2004

Casimir forces, surface fluctuations, and thinning of superfluid films

Recent experiments on the wetting of $^{4}$He have shown that the film becomes thinner at the $λ$ transition, and in the superfluid phase. The difference in thickness above and below the transition has been attributed to a Casimir interaction which is a consequence of a broken continuous symmetry in the bulk superfluid. However, the observed thinning of the film is larger than can be accounted by this Casimir force. We show that surface fluctuations give rise to an additional force, similar in form but larger in magnitude, which may explain the observations.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2003

Anomalous Buckling of Charged Rods

Unscreened electrostatic interactions exert a profound effect on the onset of the buckling instability of a charged rod. When this interaction is unscreened, the threshold value of the compressional force needed to induce buckling is independent of rod length for sufficiently long rods. In the case of rods of intermediate length, the critical buckling force crosses over from the classic inverse-square length dependence to asymptotic length-independent form with increasing rod length. It is suggested that this effect might lead to the possibility of the ``electromechanical'' stiffening of nanotubes, which would allow relatively long segments of them to be used as atomic force probes.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2003

Viral self-assembly as a thermodynamic process

The protein shells, or capsids, of all sphere-like viruses adopt icosahedral symmetry. In the present paper we propose a statistical thermodynamic model for viral self-assembly. We find that icosahedral symmetry is not expected for viral capsids constructed from structurally identical protein subunits and that this symmetry requires (at least) two internal "switching" configurations of the protein. Our results indicate that icosahedral symmetry is not a generic consequence of free energy minimization but requires optimization of internal structural parameters of the capsid proteins.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2003

Entropic competition between knots and slip-links

Using canonical Monte Carlo simulations, we introduce a new numerical procedure for comparing the entropic exponents of polymers with different constraints and/or topologies. Setting up competitions between polymer segments which can exchange monomers according to their free energies, we obtain the universal exponents of partition functions, independently of any knowledge of the non-universal part. The method is successfully tested for closed polymer loops decorated with sliding rings. We also investigate the entropic exponents of loops with a fixed knot type, in which case we are limited by strong finite--size effects.

cond-mat.soft↗