Classical double-layer atoms: artificial molecules
Condensed Matter
2009-10-30 v1
Abstract
The groundstate configuration and the eigenmodes of two parallel two-dimensional classical atoms are obtained as function of the inter-atomic distance (d). The classical particles are confined by identical harmonic wells and repel each other through a Coulomb potential. As function of d we find several structural transitions which are of first or second order. For first (second) order transitions the first (second) derivative of the energy with respect to d is discontinuous, the radial position of the particles changes discontinuously (continuously) and the frequency of the eigenmodes exhibit a jump (one mode becomes soft, i.e. its frequency becomes zero).
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/9709076,
title = {Classical double-layer atoms: artificial molecules},
author = {B. Partoens and V. A. Schweigert and F. M. Peeters},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/9709076},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
4 pages, RevTex, 5 ps figures, to appear in Phys.Rev.Lett