REENTRANT MELTING IN LASER FIELD MODULATED COLLOIDAL SUSPENSIONS

We present results from a Monte Carlo simulation study of the phase di agram and the order of the modulated liquid to crystal transition in l aser field modulated colloids. We find that for low values of beta V-e , the strength of the modulation potential, the transition is first or der, but changes to a continuous transition for high values of beta V- e, in agreement with the conclusions from the density functional theor y of laser induced freezing. However, we find in the simulation a nove l reentrant laser induced melting transition from the crystal to the m odulated liquid phase with increasing beta V-e, unlike the (mean held) density functional phase diagram.