Anomalous diffusion due to obstacles: a Monte Carlo study

Abstract

In normal lateral diffusion, the mean-square displacement of the diffusing species is proportional to time. But in disordered systems anomalous diffusion may occur, in which the mean-square displacement is proportional to some other power of time. In the presence of moderate concentrations of obstacles, diffusion is anomalous over short distances and normal over long distances. Monte Carlo calculations are used to characterize anomalous diffusion for obstacle concentrations between zero and the percolation threshold. As the obstacle concentration approaches the percolation threshold, diffusion becomes more anomalous over longer distances; the anomalous diffusion exponent and the crossover length both increase. The crossover length and time show whether anomalous diffusion can be observed in a given experiment.