Nonequilibrium states of driven disordered polymorphic solids

Condensed matter systems, when driven far from equilibrium, often exhibit a far more varied set of phases than their equilibrium counterparts. The existence of non-equilibrium analogs of ‘solids’ and ‘liquids’ has been demonstrated earlier in the context of models for driven disordered vortex lattices in superconductors. Here we study the effects of a structural (polymorphic) transition in a driven two-dimensional crystal placed in a quenched random background. Such a polymorphic crystal is shown to exhibit a complex sequence of unusual dynamical phases as the external drive is varied, including some which have no analog in the undriven pure system. We propose that such states should be accessible in experiments.     

Factorised steady states and condensation transitions in nonequilibrium systems

Systems driven out of equilibrium can often exhibit behaviour not seen in systems in thermal equilibrium —for example phase transitions in one-dimensional systems. In this talk I will review a simple model of a nonequilibrium system known as the ‘zero-range process’ and its recent developments. The nonequilibrium stationary state of this model factorises and this property allows a detailed analysis of several ‘condensation’ transitions wherein a finite fraction of the constituent particles condenses onto a single lattice site. I will then consider a more general class of mass transport models, encompassing continuous mass variables and discrete time updating, and present a necessary and sufficient condition for the steady state to factorise. The property of factorisation again allows an analysis of the condensation transitions which may occur.     

Phase transitions and universality in nonequilibrium steady states of stochastic Ising models

We present results of direct computer simulations and of Monte Carlo renormalization group (MCRG) studies of the nonequilibrium steady states of a spin system with competing dynamics and of the voter model. The MCRG method, previously used only for equilibrium systems, appears to give useful information also for these nonequilibrium systems. The critical exponents are found to be of Ising type for the competing dynamics model at its second-order phase transitions, and of mean-field type for the voter model (consistent with known results for the latter).     

Rigorous results on mathematical models of catalytic surfaces

Two types of mathematical models of catalytic surfaces are considered. Conditions guaranteeing either convergence to traps with all sites occupied by a single reactant (poisoning) and or coexistence in equilibrium are established.     

Renormalized equilibria of a Schlögl model lattice gas

A lattice gas model for Schlögl's second chemical reaction is described and analyzed. Because the lattice gas does not obey a semi-detailed-balance condition, the equilibria are non-Gibbsian. In spite of this, a self-consistent set of equations for the exact homogeneous equilibria are described, using a generalized cluster-expansion scheme. These equations are solved in the two-particle BBGKY approximation, and the results are compared to numerical experiment. It is found that this approximation describes the equilibria far more accurately than the Boltzmann approximation. It is also found, however, that it can give rise to spurious solutions to the equilibrium equations.     

Nonequilibrium steady states of stochastic lattice gas models of fast ionic conductors

We investigate theoretically and via computer simulation the stationary nonequilibrium states of a stochastic lattice gas under the influence of a uniform external fieldE. The effect of the field is to bias jumps in the field direction and thus produce a current carrying steady state. Simulations on a periodic 30 × 30 square lattice with attractive nearest-neighbor interactions suggest a nonequilibrium phase transition from a disordered phase to an ordered one, similar to the para-to-ferromagnetic transition in equilibriumE=0. At low temperatures and largeE the system segregates into two phases with an interface oriented parallel to the field. The critical temperature is larger than the equilibrium Onsager value atE=0 and increases with the field. For repulsive interactions the usual equilibrium phase transition (ordering on sublattices) is suppressed. We report on conductivity, bulk diffusivity, structure function, etc. in the steady state over a wide range of temperature and electric field. We also present rigorous proofs of the Kubo formula for bulk diffusivity and electrical conductivity and show the positivity of the entropy production for a general class of stochastic lattice gases in a uniform electric field.Supported in part by National Science Foundation Grant DMR81-14726 and NATO Grant 040.82.Work supported in part by a Lafayette College Junior Faculty Leave Grant.Work supported in part by a Heisenberg fellowship of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Kinetic lattice models of disorder

We study a class of stochastic Ising (or interacting particle) systems that exhibit a spatial distribution of impurities that change with time. It may model, for instance, steady nonequilibrium conditions of the kind that may be induced by diffusion in some disordered materials. Different assumptions for the degree of coupling between the spin and the impurity configurations are considered. Two interesting well-defined limits for impurities that behave autonomously are (i) the standard (i.e., quenched) bond-diluted, random-field, random-exchange, and spin-glass Ising models, and (ii) kinetic variations of these standard cases in which conflicting kinetics simulate fast and random diffusion of impurities. A generalization of the Mattis model with disorder that describes a crossover from the equilibrium case (i) to the nonequilibrium case (ii) and the microscopic structure of a generalized heat bath are explicitly worked out as specific realizations of our class of models. We sketch a simple classification of transition rates for the time evolution of the spin configuration based on the critical behavior that is exhibited by the models in case (ii). The latter are shown to have an exact solution for any lattice dimension for some special choice of rates.     

Freezing Transitions in Non-Fellerian Particle Systems

Non-Fellerian particle systems are characterized by nonlocal interactions, somewhat analogous to non-Gibbsian distributions. They exhibit new phenomena that are unseen in standard interacting particle systems. We consider freezing transitions in one-dimensional non-Fellerian processes which are built from the abelian sandpile additions to which in one case, spin flips are added, and in another case, so called anti-sandpile subtractions. In the first case and as a function of the sandpile addition rate, there is a sharp transition from a non-trivial invariant measure to the trivial invariant measure of the sandpile process. For the combination sandpile plus anti-sandpile, there is a sharp transition from one frozen state to the other anti-state.     

Hydrodynamic limit of a nongradient interacting particle process

A simple example of a nongradient stochastic interacting particle system is analyzed. In this model, symmetric simple exclusion in one dimension in a periodic environment, the dynamical term in the Green-Kubo formula contributes to the bulk diffusion constant. The law of large numbers for the density field and the central limit theorem for the density fluctuation field are proven, and the Green-Kubo expression for the diffusion constant is computed exactly. The hydrodynamic equation for the model turns out to be linear.     

Nonequilibrium Phenomena: Outlines and bibliographies of a workshop

The following is a set of outlines and bibliographies for lectures presented at a Summer Workshop on Nonequilibrium Phenomena held from June 22 to July 3, 1981 at the Institute for Theoretical Physics in Santa Barbara. These outlines were distributed to the participants in lieu of formal proceedings, and they are being presented for publication in the same form, in the belief that the information they contain will be useful to a wider audience. It should be clearly stated, however, that the compilation is an informal one which does not claim to be a complete survey of the subject.     

Existence of a Constant for Finite System Extinction

We show the existence of a constant (0, ) such that if ⁿ is the extinction time for a supercritical contact process on [1, n] ^d starting from full occupancy, then {log(E[ ⁿ])}/n ^d tend to as n tends to infinity.     

Tricriticality in generalized Schloegl models for autocatalysis: Lattice-gas realization with particle diffusion

We analyze lattice-gas reaction-diffusion models which include spontaneous annihilation, autocatalytic creation, and diffusion of particles, and which incorporate the particle creation mechanisms of both Schloegl’s first and second models. For fixed particle diffusion or hop rate, adjusting the relative strength of these creation mechanisms induces a crossover between continuous and discontinuous transitions to a “poisoned” vacuum state. Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations are performed to map out the corresponding tricritical line as a function of hop rate. An analysis is also provided of the tricritical “epidemic exponent” for the case of no hopping. The phase diagram is also recovered qualitatively by applying mean-field and pair-approximations to the exact hierarchical form of the master equation for these models.     

Particle number scale invariant feature of the states around the critical point of the first order nuclear shape phase transition

We study systematically the evolutive behaviors of some energy ratios,E2 transition rate ratios and isomer shift in the nuclear shape phase transitions.We find that the quantities sensitive to the phase transition and independent of free parameter(s) are approximately particle number N scale invariant around the critical point of the first order phase transition,similar to that in the second order phase transition.     

Exact solution of a three-component system on the honeycomb lattice

A model three-component system is considered in which the bonds of a honeycomb lattice are covered by rodlike molecules of typesAA, BB, andAB. The ends of molecules near a common lattice site interact with energies _AA, _BB, and _AB. The model is equivalent to an Ising model on the 3–12 lattice. Exact results are obtained for the two-phase coexistence curves in the isothermal composition plane.     

Universality properties of the stationary states in the one-dimensional coagulation-diffusion model with external particle input

We investigate with the help of analytical and numerical methods the reactionA+AA on a one-dimensional lattice opened at one end and with an input of particles at the other end. We show that if the diffusion rates to the left and to the right are equal, for largex, the particle concentrationc(x) behaves likeA _s x ^–1 (x measures the distance to the input end). If the diffusion rate in the direction pointing away from the source is larger than the one corresponding to the opposite direction, the particle concentration behaves likeA _a x ^–1/2. The constantsA _s andA _a are independent of the input and the two coagulation rates. The universality ofA _a comes as a surprise, since in the asymmetric case the system has a massive spectrum.     

Hydrodynamics of the Zero-Range Process in the Condensation Regime

We argue that the coarse-grained dynamics of the zero-range process in the condensation regime can be described by an extension of the standard hydrodynamic equation obtained from Eulerian scaling even though the system is not locally stationary. Our result is supported by Monte Carlo simulations.     

Nonequilibrium behavior of the kinetic metamagnetic spin-5/2 Blume–Capel model

The dynamic magnetic behavior of the kinetic metamagnetic spin-5/2 Blume–Capel model is examined, within a mean-field approach, under a time-dependent oscillating magnetic field. To describe the kinetics of the system, Glaubertype stochastic dynamics has been utilized. The mean-field dynamic equations of the model are obtained from the Master equation. Firstly, these dynamic equations are solved to find the phases in the system. Then, the dynamic phase transition temperatures are obtained by investigating the thermal behavior of dynamic sublattice magnetizations. Moreover, from this investigation, the nature of the phase transitions(first- or second-order) is characterized. Finally, the dynamic phase diagrams are plotted in five different planes. It is found that the dynamic phase diagrams contain the paramagnetic(P),antiferromagnetic(AF5/2, AF3/2, AF1/2) phases and five different mixed phases. The phase diagrams also display many dynamic critical points, such as tricritical point, triple point, quadruple point, double critical end point and separating point.     

Interfacial growth in driven Ginzburg-Landau models: Short and long-time dynamics

Interfacial growth in driven systems is studied from the initial stage to the longtime regime. Numerical integrations of a Ginzburg-Landan type equation with a new flux term introduced by an external field are presented. The interfacial instabilities are induced by the external field. From the numerical results, we obtain the dispersion relation for the initial growth. During the intermediate temporal regime, fingers of a characteristic triangular shape could grow. Depending on the boundary conditions, the final state corresponds to strips, multifinger states, or a one-finger state. The results for the initial growth are interpreted by means of surface-driven and Mullins-Sekerka instabilities. The shape of the one-finger state is explained in terms of the characteristic length introduced by the external field.     

Field theory of critical behavior in a driven diffusive system

We use a field theoretic renormalization group method to study the critical properties of a diffusive system with a single conserved density subject to a constant uniform external field. A fixed point stable belowd _c=5 is found to govern the critical behavior. Scaling forms of density correlation functions are derived and critical exponents are obtained to all orders in =5–d. Spatial correlations are found to be very anisotropic with elongated correlations along the external field. Long wavelength transverse fluctuations are suppressed completely to yield mean field transverse exponents.