Eur. Phys. J. E (2010) 32: 25-34
https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2010-10587-1

Regular Article

Archimedean-like colloidal tilings on substrates with decagonal and tetradecagonal symmetry

¹ Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, 209 South 33rd Street, 19104, Philadelphia, PA, USA
² 2. Physikalisches Institut, Universität Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, D-70550, Stuttgart, Germany
³ Institut für Theoretische und Angewandte Physik, Universität Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, D-70550, Stuttgart, Germany
⁴ Max-Planck-Institut für Metallforschung, Heisenbergstraße 3, D-70569, Stuttgart, Germany
⁵ Institut für Theoretische Physik, Technische Universität Berlin, Hardenbergstr. 36, D-10623, Berlin, Germany

^* e-mail: mschm@sas.upenn.edu

Received: 16 December 2009
Revised: 1 April 2010
Accepted: 9 April 2010
Published online: 22 May 2010

Abstract

Two-dimensional colloidal suspensions subjected to laser interference patterns with decagonal symmetry can form an Archimedean-like tiling phase where rows of squares and triangles order aperiodically along one direction (J. Mikhael et al., Nature 454, 501 (2008)). In experiments as well as in Monte Carlo and Brownian dynamics simulations, we identify a similar phase when the laser field possesses tetradecagonal symmetry. We characterize the structure of both Archimedean-like tilings in detail and point out how the tilings differ from each other. Furthermore, we also estimate specific particle densities where the Archimedean-like tiling phases occur. Finally, using Brownian dynamics simulations we demonstrate how phasonic distortions of the decagonal laser field influence the Archimedean-like tiling. In particular, the domain size of the tiling can be enlarged by phasonic drifts and constant gradients in the phasonic displacement. We demonstrate that the latter occurs when the interfering laser beams are not ideally adjusted.