A FAST ALGORITHM TO EVALUATE THE SHORTEST DISTANCE BETWEEN RODS

We present a fast algorithm to evaluate the shortest distance between rods of either the same or different length. The presented algorithm speeds up considerably the evaluation of the shortest distance with respect to other previously reported algorithms. As an application, this algorithm has allowed a fast development of the statistical mechanics of molecular fluids interacting through potentials depending on the shortest distance as, e.g. the Kihara model. The reported algorithm has proved to be very useful to study the liquid state either by simulation (Monte Carlo or Molecular Dynamics) or by perturbation theory and to obtain thermodynamic properties of Kihara-like fluids.