Dresden 2026 – scientific programme

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DY: Fachverband Dynamik und Statistische Physik

DY 33: Statistical Physics of Biological Systems I (joint session DY/BP)

DY 33.6: Talk

Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 10:45–11:00, ZEU/0114

Anisotropic hierarchy decides the fate of an amorphous droplet — •Andrey Zelenskiy, Pietro Caracciolo di Torella, and Martin Lenz — LPTMS, CNRS, Orsay, France

The classical description of ordering, from theories of phase transitions to classical nucleation, typically emphasizes a direct transition from disorder to order. Yet, the majority of systems in nature deviate from this simple description, and often choose indirect pathways to ordering. In particular, complex structures often form via disordered or partially ordered intermediates -- the amorphous precursors.

We present a model of self-assembling patchy particles, where the interactions are characterized by a hierarchy of geometric competitions. By tuning the anisotropy, we can stabilize a variety of aggregate morphologies, including crystals, gels, lamellar sheets, and fibers. However, due to geometric frustration, self-assembly proceeds via a dense amorphous intermediate, where the anisotropic interactions are largely averaged out. Our simple framework based on an anisotropic hierarchy sheds light on this non-classical mechanism of particle assembly, and provides a platform for new experimental principles of complex structure design.

Keywords: self-assembly; geometric frustration; lattice models; amorphous structure; non-classical nucleation