The non-equilibrium charge screening effects in diffusion-driven systems with pattern formation

Manifestation of dipole-induced disorder in self-assembly of ferroelectric and ferromagnetic nanocubes

The colloidal processing of nearly monodisperse and highly crystalline single-domain ferroelectric or ferromagnetic nanocubes is a promising route to produce superlattice structures for integration into next-generation devices, whereas controlling the local behaviour of nanocrystals is imperative for fabricating highly-ordered assemblies. The current picture of nanoscale polarization in individual nanocrystals suggests a potential presence of a significant dipolar interaction, but its role in the condensation of nanocubes is unknown. We simulate the self-assembly of colloidal dipolar nanocubes under osmotic compression and perform the microstructural characterization of their densified ensembles. Our results indicate that the long-range positional and orientational correlations of perovskite nanocubes are highly sensitive to the presence of dipoles.

Anomalous Kinetics of Diffusion-Controlled Defect Annealing in Irradiated Ionic Solids

The annealing kinetics of the primary electronic F-type color centers (oxygen vacancies with trapped one or two electrons) is analyzed for three ionic materials (Al₂O₃, MgO, and MgF₂) exposed to intensive irradiation by electrons, neutrons, and heavy swift ions. Phenomenological theory of diffusion-controlled recombination of the F-type centers with much more mobile interstitial ions (complementary hole centers) allows us to extract from experimental data the migration energy of interstitials and pre-exponential factor of diffusion. The obtained migration energies are compared with available first-principles calculations. It is demonstrated that with the increase of radiation fluence both the migration energy and pre-exponent are decreasing in all three materials, irrespective of the type of irradiation. Their correlation satisfies the Meyer-Neldel rule observed earlier in glasses, liquids, and disordered materials.The origin of this effect is discussed. This study demonstrates that in the quantitative analysis of the radiation damage of real materials the dependence of the defect migration parameters on the radiation fluence plays an important role and cannot be neglected.

Theory of non-equilibrium critical phenomena in three-dimensional condensed systems of charged mobile nanoparticles

A study of 3d electrostatic self-assembly (SA) in systems of charged nanoparticles (NPs) is one of the most difficult theoretical problems. In particular, the limiting case of negligible or very low polar media (e.g. salt) concentration, where the long-range NP interactions cannot be reduced to commonly used effective short-range (Yukawa) potentials, remains unstudied. Moreover, the present study has demonstrated that unlike the Debye-Hückel theory, a complete screening of the charges in SA kinetics (dynamic SA) is not always possible. Generally speaking, one has to take into account implicitly how each NP interacts with all other NPs (the true long-range interactions). Traditional theoretical methods allow us to monitor such electrostatic 3d system kinetics only for very short times, which is far from sufficient for understanding the dynamic SA. In this paper, combining an integrated analytical approach (the non-linear integro-differential kinetic equation for correlation functions) and reverse Monte Carlo in the 3d case, we have obtained a self-consistent solution of this challenging problem. We demonstrate, in particular, the existence of critical points and critical phenomena in the non-equilibrium kinetics in a 3d system of oppositely charged mobile NPs.

Static and dynamic screening effects in the electrostatic self-assembly of nano-particles

3D structure of self-assembled and oppositely charged nanoparticles.

Pattern formation kinetics for charged molecules on surfaces: microscopic correlation function analysis

The kinetics of pattern formation and phase separation in a system of two types of oppositely charged molecules with competing short- and long-range interactions on surfaces/interfaces is studied combining three methods: a microscopic formalism of the joint correlation functions, reverse Monte Carlo, and nonequilibrium charge-screening factors. The molecular ordering occurs on the background of the Ostwald ripening and thus is strongly nonequilibrium. We have demonstrated how initial random distribution of molecules is changed for loose similar-molecule aggregates, with further reorganization into dense macroscopic domains of oppositely charged molecules. Pattern formation process is characterized by the correlation length which monotonically increases in time.

Atomistic theory of mesoscopic pattern formation induced by bimolecular surface reactions between oppositely charged molecules

The kinetics of mesoscopic pattern formation is studied for a reversible A+B⇌0 reaction between mobile oppositely charged molecules at the interface. Using formalism of the joint correlation functions, non-equilibrium charge screening and reverse Monte Carlo methods, it is shown that labyrinth-like percolation structure induced by (even moderate-rate) reaction is principally non-steady-state one and is associated with permanently growing segregation of dissimilar reactants and aggregation of similar reactants into mesoscopic size domains. A role of short-range and long-range reactant interactions in pattern formation is discussed.