Session V20: Phase Transitions: Structural, Electronic, and Magnetic

11:15 AM–2:03 PM, Thursday, March 13, 2008
Morial Convention Center - 212

Sponsoring Unit: DCMP
Chair: Ted Einstein, University of Maryland

Abstract ID: BAPS.2008.MAR.V20.8

Abstract: V20.00008 : Lattice gas transition of xenon on a fullerite surface

12:39 PM–12:51 PM

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Authors:

  Silvina Gatica
    (Department of Physics, Howard University)

  Milton Cole
    (Department of Physics, Pennsylvania State University)

We study a lattice-gas transition of xenon atoms on a honeycomb geometry. It is found from experiments and Monte Carlo simulations that this configuration occurs for xenon adsorbed on a substrate consisting on an array of C60 molecules on Ag(111). At very low coverage the atoms occupy strong-binding 3-fold hollow sites between C60 molecules. In this way, they form a commensurate lattice with nearest neighbor distance 0.58 nm. Using a Lennard Jones model for the Xe-Xe potential, the nearest neighbor interaction strength is U=96.7 K. Using the Ising model we estimate the transition critical temperature to be Tc = 36K. We compare with our results from Monte Carlo simulations based on more realistic interactions.

To cite this abstract, use the following reference: http://meetings.aps.org/link/BAPS.2008.MAR.V20.8