Evolution of Hyperuniformity in a Driven Dissipative Colloidal System

Disordered hyperuniform configurations stand apart from typical liquids, sharing traits with crystals with periodic arrangements, particularly their capacity to anomalously suppress density fluctuations at long wavelengths (albeit without Bragg peaks) [1]. We show that a driven dissipative system shifts among various disordered hyperuniform states upon removing the driving force while transitioning from nonequilibrium to thermal equilibrium [2].

Our study examines quasi-2D colloidal crystals made up of pure polystyrene spheres suspended in water, which are driven by ultrafast laser pulses. The particles mainly interact through hard-sphere and hydrodynamic forces. Once the laser is turned off, the crystals disassemble until a gas-like spatial distribution. Due to the strong stochastic nature of the system, we developed a computational toolbox for real-time analysis of various order metrics, revealing a persistence of hyperuniformity even amid strong perturbations. We propose that this enduring superhomogeneity may stem from nonlocal correlations influenced by the interactions between particle configurations and flow fields [3].

[1] Torquato, Phys. Rep. 745, (2018).

[2] Nizam et al., JPCM 33, (2021).

[3] Ilday et al., Nat. Comm. 8, (2017).