Hard spheres on the gyroid surface

Abstract

We find that 48/64 hard spheres per unit cell on the gyroid minimal surface are entropically self-organized. Striking evidence is obtained in terms of the acceptance ratio of Monte Carlo moves and order parameters. The regular tessellations of the spheres can be viewed as hyperbolic tilings on the Poincaré disc with a negative Gaussian curvature, one of which is, equivalently, the arrangement of angels and devils in Escher's Circle Limit IV.