Physics – Condensed Matter
Scientific paper
1995-12-11
Physics
Condensed Matter
LaTeX format. 17 pages. To appear in Phys. Rev. E
Scientific paper
10.1103/PhysRevE.53.2551
We examine the shapes and energies of 5- and 7-fold disclinations in low-temperature hexatic membranes. These defects buckle at different values of the ratio of the bending rigidity, $\kappa$, to the hexatic stiffness constant, $K_A$, suggesting {\em two} distinct Kosterlitz-Thouless defect proliferation temperatures. Seven-fold disclinations are studied in detail numerically for arbitrary $\kappa/K_A$. We argue that thermal fluctuations always drive $\kappa/K_A$ into an ``unbuckled'' regime at long wavelengths, so that disclinations should, in fact, proliferate at the {\em same} critical temperature. We show analytically that both types of defects have power law shapes with continuously variable exponents in the ``unbuckled'' regime. Thermal fluctuations then lock in specific power laws at long wavelengths, which we calculate for 5- and 7-fold defects at low temperatures.
Deem Michael W.
Nelson David R.
No associations
LandOfFree
Free Energies of Isolated 5- and 7-fold Disclinations in Hexatic Membranes does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with Free Energies of Isolated 5- and 7-fold Disclinations in Hexatic Membranes, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Free Energies of Isolated 5- and 7-fold Disclinations in Hexatic Membranes will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-553601