Optimized interactions for targeted self-assembly: application to a honeycomb lattice

Phys Rev Lett. 2005 Nov 25;95(22):228301. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.228301. Epub 2005 Nov 21.

Abstract

We devise an inverse statistical-mechanical methodology to find optimized interaction potentials that lead spontaneously to a target many-particle configuration. Target structures can possess varying degrees of disorder, thus extending the traditional idea of self-assembly to incorporate both amorphous and crystalline structures as well as quasicrystals. For illustration purposes, our computational technique is applied to yield an optimized isotropic (nondirectional) pair potential that spontaneously yields the three-coordinated honeycomb lattice as the ground state structure in two dimensions. This target choice is motivated by its three-dimensional analog, the diamond lattice, which is known to possess desirable photonic band gap properties.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Biomechanical Phenomena / methods*
  • Crystallography
  • DNA / chemistry*
  • Lipid Bilayers / chemistry*
  • Monte Carlo Method
  • Photons
  • Proteins / chemistry*

Substances

  • Lipid Bilayers
  • Proteins
  • DNA