Systematics of small parahydrogen clusters in two dimensions

Abstract

We studied by means of computer simulations the low temperature properties of two-dimensional parahydrogen clusters comprising between 7 and 30 molecules. Computed energetics is in quantitative agreement with that reported in the only previous study [Phys. Rev. B 65, 174527 (2002)], but a generally stronger superfluid response is obtained here for clusters with more than ten molecules. Moreover, all the clusters, including the smallest one, display a well-defined, clearly identifiable solidlike structure; with only one possible exception, those with fewer than 25 molecules are (almost) entirely superfluid at the lowest temperature considered here (i.e., 0.25 K), and can thus be regarded as nanoscale "supersolids". The implications of these results on a possible bulk two-dimensional superfluid phase of parahydrogen are discussed.