Structural evolution in the packing of uniform spheres

作     者：Z. A. Tian K. J. Dong A. B. Yu 

作者机构：[]Laboratory for Simulation and Modelling of Particulate Systems School of Materials Science and Engineering University of New South Wales Sydney NSW 2052 Australia 

出 版 物：《Physical Review E》 (物理学评论E辑：统计、非线性和软体物理学)

年 卷 期：2014年第89卷第3期

页      面：032202-032202页

核心收录：

学科分类：07[理学] 070203[理学-原子与分子物理] 0702[理学-物理学] 

基　　金：Australian Research Council University of New South Wales 

主　　题：STRUCTURAL analysis (Engineering) PACKING fractions UNIFORM spaces PHASE transformations (Physics) MICROCLUSTERS CRITICAL point ATOMS 

摘      要：Structural analysis is very important to understanding the physics of atomic or particle systems of various types. However, properly characterizing the structures at different packing fraction ρ is still a challenge. Here we analyze the local structure, in terms of the so-called common-neighbor-subcluster (CNS), of sphere packings with ρ ∈ (0.2, 0.74). We show that although complicated in structure, there are totally 39 kinds of CNSs of which 12 are dominant. The evolution of these CNSs with the increase of ρ is quantified, and the rules governing the evolution are explored. The results are found to be useful in constructing a comprehensive picture about the critical states and their transition in sphere packing.