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  • Open Access

Identifying liquidlike and gaslike states of dusty plasmas using isomorph theory

Ao Xu*, Nichen Yu*, Dong Huang†, and Yan Feng‡

  • Institute of Plasma Physics and Technology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Frontier Material Physics and Devices, School of Physical Science and Technology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China

  • *These authors contributed equally to this work.
  • †Contact author: huangdong@suda.edu.cn
  • ‡Contact author: fengyan@suda.edu.cn
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Phys. Rev. Research 8, 023016 – Published 3 April, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/nygm-3tsj

Abstract

Equilibrium molecular dynamical simulations are performed to investigate the isomorphic properties of the supercritical liquidlike to gaslike transition in Yukawa fluids. From the calculated Pearson correlation coefficient R, the isomorph theory is always applicable in both the liquidlike and gaslike states of Yukawa systems, so that the Frenkel line is also an isomorphic curve, as discussed here. Based on the isomorph theory, it is proposed that the height of the first peak of the radial distribution function g(rfp) can be used as a convenient and sensitive criterion of the Frenkel line, which is g(rfp)=1.2 for two-dimensional and g(rfp)=1.14 for three-dimensional Yukawa fluids. This criterion of the Frenkel line from g(rfp) well agrees with the widely accepted condition of CT/vth=2 for the supercritical transition, as well as the equivalent of the reduced instantaneous shear modulus G∞/nkBT=2. The criterion of g(rfp) provides a convenient method to identify the supercritical transition of dusty plasmas or Yukawa fluids, which may be extended to other physical systems.

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Phys. Rev. Research 8, 023016– Published 3 April, 2026
  • Received 5 January 2026
  • Accepted 17 March 2026
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