Solitons as a Possible Probe for Detecting Defects in Solids

Molecular dynamics computer simulation has been performed for solitons and phonons propagating in one- and two-dimensional anharmonic mass-spring model crystals. An input pulse displacement was applied to atoms in a crystal, and propagating phonons or solitons were produced when the input pulse was smaller or larger. Collisions of the solitons and phonons with mass, spring constant, and anharmonicity defects were studied to obtain the energy transmission coefficients for collisions. Collision characteristics were different for solitons and phonons