Competing Hexagonal and Square Lattices on a Spherical Surface

作者：Han Xie, Wenyu Liu, Zhenli Lu, Jeff Z. Y. Chen, Yao Li · 发表于：Nano Letters · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c05865 · 被引用次数：7 · 研究领域：Pickering emulsions and particle stabilization、Theoretical and Computational Physics、Advanced Materials and Mechanics

The structural properties of packed soft-core particles provide a platform to understand the cross-pollinated physical concepts in solid-state and soft-matter physics. Confined on a spherical surface, the traditional differential geometry also dictates the overall defect properties in otherwise regular crystal lattices. Using molecular dynamics simulation of the Hertzian model as a tool, we report here the emergence of new types of disclination patterns: domain and counter-domain defects, when hexagonal and square patterns coexist. A new angle is presented to understand the incompatibility between tiling lattice shapes and the available spherical areal shapes, which is common in nature─from molecular systems in biology to backbone construction in architectures.