The Structure of a System of Smoothed Collapsing Spheres under Strong Confinement

Molecular dynamics method has been employed to study structures formed within a wide range of densities in a system of smoothed collapsing spheres located in a slitlike pore with a fixed thickness. It has been shown that, depending on the density, the profile of the system varies, and isolated layers are formed in it. The two-dimensional radial distribution functions and orientational parameters of each layer, as well as diffraction patterns, have been calculated for the system. It has been found that the phase state of the system strongly depends on its density; i.e., a passage takes place from a disordered state at low densities to a complex phase behavior with diverse combinations of crystalline phases at sufficiently high density values.