Colloidal particles absorbed at the interface of a liquid droplet arrange into unique packings during slow evaporation [V. N. Manoharan et al., Science 301, 483 (2003)]. We present a numerical and theoretical analysis of the packing selection problem. The selection of a unique packing arises almost entirely from geometrical constraints during the drying.

• Received 9 April 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.93.238301