Diffusion on a solid surface: Anomalous is normal

We present a numerical study of classical particles diffusing on a solid surface. The particles' motion is modeled by an underdamped Langevin equation with ordinary thermal noise. The particle-surface interaction is described by a periodic or a random two-dimensional potential. The model leads...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physical review letters 2004-06, Vol.92 (25), p.250601.1-250601.4, Article 250601
Main Authors: SANCHO, J. M, LACASTA, A. M, LINDENBERG, K, SOKOLOV, I. M, ROMERO, A. H
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties
Diffusion
Diffusion on surfaces
Diffusion
interface formation
Difusió
Exact sciences and technology
Física
Nonlinear dynamics
Nonlinear systems
Physics
Random potentials
Sistemes no lineals
Solid surfaces and solid-solid interfaces
Superdiffusion
Superfícies (Física)
Surfaces (Physics)
Surfaces and interfaces
thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties)
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC
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Summary:We present a numerical study of classical particles diffusing on a solid surface. The particles' motion is modeled by an underdamped Langevin equation with ordinary thermal noise. The particle-surface interaction is described by a periodic or a random two-dimensional potential. The model leads to a rich variety of different transport regimes, some of which correspond to anomalous diffusion such as has recently been observed in experiments and Monte Carlo simulations. We show that this anomalous behavior is controlled by the friction coefficient and stress that it emerges naturally in a system described by ordinary canonical Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics.
ISSN:0031-9007
1079-7114
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.92.250601