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Flocking Beyond One Species: Novel Phase Coexistence in a Generalized Two-Species Vicsek Model

Eloise Lardet, Letian Chen, and Thibault Bertrand*

  • *Contact author: t.bertrand@imperial.ac.uk
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 118303 – Published 9 September, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/lt6f-yjpd

Abstract

A hallmark in natural systems, self-organization often stems from very simple interaction rules between individual agents. While single-species self-propelled particle systems are well understood, the behavior of binary mixtures with general alignment interactions remains largely unexplored with a few scattered results hinting at the existence of a rich emergent phase behavior. Here, we investigate systematically a generalization of the two-species Vicsek model with reciprocal intra- and interspecies (anti)alignment couplings, uncovering a rich phenomenology of emergent states. Notably, we show that rather than destroying polar order, antialigning interactions can promote phase separation and the emergence of global polar order. In doing so, we uncover a novel mechanism for microphase separation. We further find these coexistence patterns can be generalized to multispecies systems with cyclic alignment interactions.

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Kinetic theory of pattern formation in a generalized multispecies Vicsek model

Eloise Lardet, Letian Chen, and Thibault Bertrand
Phys. Rev. E 114, 034117 (2026)

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 137, 118303– Published 9 September, 2026
  • Received 10 April 2025
  • Revised 14 January 2026
  • Accepted 19 February 2026
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