Eur. Phys. J. E (2010) 31: 377-382
https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2010-10583-5

Regular Article

Dense packing in the monodisperse hard-sphere system: A numerical study

State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 130022, Changchun, PRC

^* e-mail: zysun@ciac.jl.cn
^** e-mail: ljan@ciac.jl.cn

Received: 17 July 2009
Revised: 7 December 2009
Accepted: 15 March 2010
Published online: 20 April 2010

Abstract

We report a numerical study of the close packing of monodisperse hard spheres. The close packings of hard spheres are produced by the Lubachesky-Stillinger (LS) compression algorithm and span the range from the disordered states to the ordered states. We provide quantitative evidence for the claim that the density and structural order of the arrested close packing can be determined by the compression rate, i.e., with slower rates producing denser and more ordered structures. Through deeply analyzing the structure of the resulting arrested close packings, a transition region has been identified in the plane of density and reciprocal compression rate, in between what have been historically thought of as amorphous and crystalline packings. We also find clear system size dependences in studying the structural properties of the packings from the disordered ones to the ordered ones. These detailed investigations, on the structure of the arrested close packings, may provide a link between the glassy states and the crystalline states in the hard spheres.