Melting in two-dimensional systems: Characterizing continuous and first-order transitions

The mechanisms underlying the melting process in bidimensional systems have been widely studied by means of experiments, theory, and simulations since Kosterlitz, Thouless, Halperin, Nelson, and Young elaborated the KTHNY theory. In the framework of this theory, melting is produced by two continuous transitions mediated by the unbinding of local defects and the appearance of an intermediate phase between solid and liquid, called "hexatic." There are also other competing theories that could explain this process, as, e.g., the formation of grain boundaries (lines of defects), which lead to a first-order transition. In this paper, simulations of systems interacting via the Lennard Jones 6-12 and Morse potentials using the Metropolis Monte Carlo method in the NVT ensemble have been performed to study the effect of the potential shape in the melting process. Additionally, truncated Morse potentials (with only a repulsive part) have been used to investigate the effect of the long-range interactions. Transitions from solid to hexatic phases were found to be continuous for all potentials studied, but transitions from hexatic to liquid phases were found to be either continuous or first order, depending on the thermodynamic conditions and the potential interaction selected, suggesting that melting can be triggered by different mechanisms, like grain boundary formation or defect unbinding. We find that the ratio of defects at the liquid-hexatic or liquid-coexistence phase transitions could determine the nature of these transitions and the mechanism underlying the melting process. The effect of the interaction of particles with their first- and second-nearest neighbors is also discussed.