Depinning Dynamics of Fluid Monolayer on a Quenched Substrate

Langevin simulations are preformed on the depinning dynamics of fluid monolayer on a quenched substrate. With increase in the strength of the substrate, we find for the first time a crossover from elastic crystal to smectic flows as well as a crossover from smectic to plastic flows above the depinning. A power-law scaling relationship can be derived between the drift velocity and the driving force for both the elastic crystal and smectic flows, but fails to be obtained for the plastic flow. The power-law exponents are found to be no larger than 1 for the elastic crystal flow and larger than 1 for the smeetic flow. The critical driving force and the averaged intensity of Bragg peaks remain invariant basically in the regime of smectic flow. A sudden increase in the critical driving force is observed within the crossover from the smeetic to plastic flows, and the averaged intensity of Bragg peaks shows sudden decreases within the crossovers both from the elastic crystal to smectic flows and from the smectic to plastic flows. The results are helpful for understanding the slip dynamics of fluids on a molecular level.