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Full-Text Articles in Physics
Infinite-Randomness Fixed Point Of The Quantum Superconductor-Metal Transitions In Amorphous Thin Films, Nicholas A. Lewellyn, Ilana M. Percher, J. J. Nelson, Javier Garcia-Barriocanal, Irina Volotsenko, Aviad Frydman, Thomas Vojta, Allen M. Goldman
Infinite-Randomness Fixed Point Of The Quantum Superconductor-Metal Transitions In Amorphous Thin Films, Nicholas A. Lewellyn, Ilana M. Percher, J. J. Nelson, Javier Garcia-Barriocanal, Irina Volotsenko, Aviad Frydman, Thomas Vojta, Allen M. Goldman
Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works
The magnetic-field-tuned quantum superconductor-insulator transitions of disordered amorphous indium oxide films are a paradigm in the study of quantum phase transitions and exhibit power-law scaling behavior. For superconducting indium oxide films with low disorder, such as the ones reported on here, the high-field state appears to be a quantum-corrected metal. Resistance data across the superconductor-metal transition in these films are shown here to obey an activated scaling form appropriate to a quantum phase transition controlled by an infinite-randomness fixed point in the universality class of the random transverse-field Ising model. Collapse of the field-dependent resistance vs temperature data is obtained …
Dynamical Mechanisms Leading To Equilibration In Two-Component Gases, Stephan De Bievre, Carlos Mejia-Monasterio, Paul Ernest Parris
Dynamical Mechanisms Leading To Equilibration In Two-Component Gases, Stephan De Bievre, Carlos Mejia-Monasterio, Paul Ernest Parris
Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works
Demonstrating how microscopic dynamics cause large systems to approach thermal equilibrium remains an elusive, longstanding, and actively pursued goal of statistical mechanics. We identify here a dynamical mechanism for thermalization in a general class of two-component dynamical Lorentz gases and prove that each component, even when maintained in a nonequilibrium state itself, can drive the other to a thermal state with a well-defined effective temperature.
Disordered Bosons In One Dimension: From Weak- To Strong-Randomness Criticality, Fawaz Hrahsheh, Thomas Vojta
Disordered Bosons In One Dimension: From Weak- To Strong-Randomness Criticality, Fawaz Hrahsheh, Thomas Vojta
Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works
We investigate the superfluid-insulator quantum phase transition of one-dimensional bosons with off-diagonal disorder by means of large-scale Monte Carlo simulations. For weak disorder, we find the transition to be in the same universality class as the superfluid-Mott insulator transition of the clean system. The nature of the transition changes for stronger disorder. Beyond a critical disorder strength, we find nonuniversal, disorder-dependent critical behavior. We compare our results to recent perturbative and strong-disorder renormalization group predictions. We also discuss experimental implications as well as extensions of our results to other systems.
Evidence For Power-Law Griffiths Singularities In A Layered Heisenberg Magnet, Fawaz Hrahsheh, Hatem Barghathi, Priyanka Mohan, Rajesh Narayanan, Thomas Vojta
Evidence For Power-Law Griffiths Singularities In A Layered Heisenberg Magnet, Fawaz Hrahsheh, Hatem Barghathi, Priyanka Mohan, Rajesh Narayanan, Thomas Vojta
Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works
We study the ferromagnetic phase transition in a randomly layered Heisenberg model. A recent strong-disorder renormalization group approach [Phys. Rev. B 81, 144407 (2010)] predicted that the critical point in this system is of exotic infinite-randomness type and is accompanied by strong power-law Griffiths singularities. Here, we report results of Monte-Carlo simulations that provide numerical evidence in support of these predictions. Specifically, we investigate the finite-size scaling behavior of the magnetic susceptibility which is characterized by a non-universal power-law divergence in the Griffiths phase. In addition, we calculate the time autocorrelation function of the spins. It features a very slow …
Dynamical Conductivity At The Dirty Superconductor-Metal Quantum Phase Transition, Adrian Del Maestro, Bernd Rosenow, Jose A. Hoyos, Thomas Vojta
Dynamical Conductivity At The Dirty Superconductor-Metal Quantum Phase Transition, Adrian Del Maestro, Bernd Rosenow, Jose A. Hoyos, Thomas Vojta
Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works
We study the transport properties of ultrathin disordered nanowires in the neighborhood of the superconductor-metal quantum phase transition. To this end we combine numerical calculations with analytical strong-disorder renormalization group results. The quantum critical conductivity at zero temperature diverges logarithmically as a function of frequency. In the metallic phase, it obeys activated scaling associated with an infinite-randomness quantum critical point. We extend the scaling theory to higher dimensions and discuss implications for experiments.
Temperature Dependence Of Droplet Nucleation In A Yukawa Fluid, Jinsong Li, Gerald Wilemski
Temperature Dependence Of Droplet Nucleation In A Yukawa Fluid, Jinsong Li, Gerald Wilemski
Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works
We have studied the temperature dependence of gas-to-liquid nucleation in Yukawa fluids with gradient theory and density functional theory. Each of these nonclassical theories exhibits a weaker (i.e., better) temperature dependence than classical nucleation theory. At fixed temperature, the reversible work to form a critical nucleus found from gradient theory approaches the value given by density functional theory as the supersaturation increases. At high temperatures, the two theories remain quite close over a wide range of vapor densities. As the temperature is reduced, the difference between the two theories increases with decreasing vapor density. Compared to the classical theory we …