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Dense-packing crystal structures of physical tetrahedra

Cornell Affiliated Author(s)

Author

Y. Kallus
V. Elser

Abstract

We present a method for discovering dense packings of general convex hard particles and apply it to study the dense packing behavior of a one-parameter family of particles with tetrahedral symmetry representing a deformation of the ideal mathematical tetrahedron into a less ideal, physical, tetrahedron and all the way to the sphere. Thus, we also connect the two well-studied problems of sphere packing and tetrahedron packing on a single axis. Our numerical results uncover a rich optimal-packing behavior, compared to that of other continuous families of particles previously studied. We present four structures as candidates for the optimal packing at different values of asphericity, providing an atlas of crystal structures that might be observed in systems of nanoparticles with tetrahedral symmetry. © 2011 American Physical Society.

Date Published

Journal

Physical Review E - Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics

Volume

83

Issue

3

URL

https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-79953150763&doi=10.1103%2fPhysRevE.83.036703&partnerID=40&md5=10ea80316871bf406c486d512ad69b53

DOI

10.1103/PhysRevE.83.036703

Group (Lab)

Veit Elser Group

Funding Source

0426568

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