Localized modes in a one-dimensional sphalerite-structure lattice with anharmonicity

The nonlinear localized vibrational modes of a one-dimensional atomic chain with two periodically alternating masses and force constants are analytically investigated using a discrete multiple-scale expansion method. This model simulates a row of atoms in the <1 1 1>-direction of sphalerite, or zinc blende, crystals. Owing to the structural asymmetry, the vibrational amplitude is governed by a perturbed nonlinear Schr?dinger equation instead of the standard one found in one-dimensional lattices with two alternating masses but uniform force constant. Although the stationary localized modes with carrier wavevector at the Brillouin-zone boundary are similar to those of ionic lattices, the moving localized modes with wavevectors within the zone are different owing to the perturbation. The calculation shows that the height of the moving localized modes in this lattice dampens with time. Received 14 May 2001 and Received in final form 12 July 2001     

Breather trapping and breather transmission in a DNA model with an interface

We study the dynamics of moving discrete breathers in an interfaced piecewise DNA molecule. This is a DNA chain in which all the base pairs are identical and there exists an interface such that the base pairs dipole moments at each side are oriented in opposite directions. The Hamiltonian of the Peyrard-Bishop model is augmented with a term that includes the dipole-dipole coupling between base pairs. Numerical simulations show the existence of two dynamical regimes. If the translational kinetic energy of a moving breather launched towards the interface is below a critical value, it is trapped in a region around the interface collecting vibrational energy. For an energy larger than the critical value, the breather is transmitted and continues travelling along the double strand with lower velocity. Reflection phenomena never occur. The same study has been carried out when a single dipole is oriented in opposite direction to the other ones. When moving breathers collide with the single inverted dipole, the same effects appear. These results emphasize the importance of this simple type of local inhomogeneity as it creates a mechanism for the trapping of energy. Finally, the simulations show that, under favorable conditions, several launched moving breathers can be trapped successively at the interface region producing an accumulation of vibrational energy. Moreover, an additional colliding moving breather can produce a saturation of energy and a moving breather with all the accumulated energy is transmitted to the chain.     

Discrete nonlinear Schrödinger breathers in a phonon bath

We study the dynamics of the discrete nonlinear Schr?dinger lattice initialized such that a very long transitory period of time in which standard Boltzmann statistics is insufficient is reached. Our study of the nonlinear system locked in this non-Gibbsian state focuses on the dynamics of discrete breathers (also called intrinsic localized modes). It is found that part of the energy spontaneously condenses into several discrete breathers. Although these discrete breathers are extremely long lived, their total number is found to decrease as the evolution progresses. Even though the total number of discrete breathers decreases we report the surprising observation that the energy content in the discrete breather population increases. We interpret these observations in the perspective of discrete breather creation and annihilation and find that the death of a discrete breather cause effective energy transfer to a spatially nearby discrete breather. It is found that the concepts of a multi-frequency discrete breather and of internal modes is crucial for this process. Finally, we find that the existence of a discrete breather tends to soften the lattice in its immediate neighborhood, resulting in high amplitude thermal fluctuation close to an existing discrete breather. This in turn nucleates discrete breather creation close to a already existing discrete breather. Received 21 January 1999 and Received in final form 20 September 1999     

Next-nearest neighbor interaction and localized solutions of polymer chains

We study localization in polymer chains modeled by the nonlinear discrete Schr?dinger equation (DNLS) with next-nearest-neighbor (n-n-n) interaction extending beyond the usual nearest-neighbor exchange approximation. Modulational instability of plane carrier waves is discussed and it is shown that localization gets amplified under the influence of an enhanced interaction radius. Furthermore, we construct exact localized solitonlike solutions of the n-n-n interaction DNLS. To this end the stationary lattice system is cast into a nonlinear map. The homoclinic orbits of unstable equilibria of this map are attributed to standing solitonlike solutions of the lattice system. We note that in comparison with the standard next-neighbor interaction DNLS which bears only one type of static soliton-like states (either staggering or unstaggering) the one with n-n-n interaction radius can support unstaggering as well as staggering stationary localized states with frequencies lying above respectively below the linear band. Generally, the stronger the n-n-n interaction on the DNLS lattice the smaller are the maximal amplitudes of the standing solitonlike solutions and the less rapid are their exponential decays. Received 4 October 2000     

Moving breather collisions in Klein-Gordon chains of oscillators

We investigate the collisions of moving breathers, with the same frequency, in three different Klein-Gordon chains of oscillators. The on-site potentials are: the asymmetric and soft Morse potential, the symmetric and soft sine-Gordon potential and the symmetric and hard φ⁴ potential. The simulation of a collision begins generating two identical moving breathers traveling with opposite velocities, they are obtained after perturbing two identical stationary breathers which centers are separated by a fixed number of particles. If this number is odd we obtain an on-site collision, but if this number is even we obtain an inter-site collision. Apart from this distinction, we have considered symmetric collisions, if the colliding moving breathers are vibrating in phase, and anti-symmetric collisions, if the colliding moving breathers are vibrating in anti-phase. The simulations show that the collision properties of the three chains are different. The main observed phenomena are: breather generation with trapping, with the appearance of two new moving breathers with opposite velocities, and a stationary breather trapped at the collision region; breather generation without trapping, with the appearance of new moving breathers with opposite velocities; breather trapping at the collision region, without the appearance of new moving breathers; and breather reflection. For each Klein-Gordon chain, the collision outcomes depend on the lattice parameters, the frequency of the perturbed stationary breathers, the internal structure of the moving breathers and the number of particles that initially separates the stationary breathers when they are perturbed.     

Influence of roughness and dilatancy for dense granular flow along an inclined wall

In a previous work [#!ref1!#], the flow velocity of a steady two-dimensional granular flow along an inclined wall was investigated. The scaling law for the velocity field was found in good agreement with recent experimental results. The purpose of the present paper is to reformulate in more systematic manner and in a somewhat more general context the equations of mass and momentum conservation for dense granular flow, and also to present some new results with particular emphasis on roughness influence and dynamic dilatancy. Theoretical results are found in good agreement with experiments. Received 19 July 1999 and Received in final form 14 October 1999     

Diagonalization of the elliptic Ruijsenaars model. Correspondence with the Belavin model

Studied is the elliptic Ruijsenaars model, which is a difference analogue of the Calogero-Sutherland-Moser model. Using a novel relationship between the elliptic Ruijsenaars operator and the transfer matrix of the Belavin model, we diagonalize the Ruijsenaars operator by the algebraic Bethe ansatz method. Received: 29 January 1998 / Accepted: 17 April 1998     

Settling and fluidization of non Brownian hard spheres in a viscous liquid

A mean field approach is used to estimate the energy dissipation during the homogeneous sedimentation or the particulate fluidization of non Brownian hard spheres in a concentrated suspension of infinite extent. Depending on inertial screening and the range of the hydrodynamic interactions, the effective buoyancy force is determined either from the average suspension density in a Stokes flow or from the fluid density in the turbulent flow regime. An energy balance then yields a settling or fluidization law depending on the particle Reynolds number in reasonable agreement with the Richardson and Zaki correlation and recent experimental results for particle settling or fluidization. We further estimate the energy dissipation in the turbulent boundary layers around the particles to precise the Reynolds number dependence of the hindered settling function in the intermediate flow regime. Received 22 February 1999 and Received in final form 14 June 1999     

Envelope solitary waves on two-dimensional lattices with in-plane displacements

We investigate envelope solitary waves on square lattices with two degrees of freedom and nonlinear nearest and next-nearest neighbor interactions. We consider solitary waves which are localized in the direction of their motion and periodically modulated along the perpendicular direction. In the quasi-monochromatic approximation and low-amplitude limit a system of two coupled nonlinear Schr?dinger equations (CNLS) is obtained for the envelopes of the longitudinal and transversal displacements. For the case of bright envelope solitary waves the solvability condition is discussed, also with respect to the modulation. The stability of two special solution classes (type-I and type-II) of the CNLS equations is tested by molecular dynamics simulations. The shape of type-I solitary waves does not change during propagation, whereas the width of type-II excitations oscillates in time. Received: 4 December 1997 / Revised: 6 June 1998 / Accepted: 7 July 1998     

Mobility and conductivity of ionic and bonded defects in hydrogen-bonded chains with nonlinear interactions

The proton conductivity and the mobility arising from motions of the ionic and bonded defects, in hydrogen-bonded molecular systems are investigated by means of the quantum mechanical method. Our two component model goes beyond the usual classical harmonic interaction by inclusion of a quartic interaction potential between the nearest-neighbor protons. Among the rich variety of soliton patterns obtained in this model, we focus our attention to compact kink (kinkon) solutions to calculate analytically, the mobility of the kinkon-antikinkon pair and the specific electrical-conductivity of the protons transfer in the hydrogen-bonded systems under an externally applied electrical-field through the dynamic equation of the kinkon-antikinkon pair. For ice, the mobility and the electrical conductivity of the proton transfer obtained are about 5.307×10^-7 m²  V^-1  s^-1 and 6.11×10^-4 Ω^-1 m^-1, respectively. The results obtained are in qualitative agreement with experimental data.     

The type-problem on the average for random walks on graphs

When averages over all starting points are considered, the type problem for the recurrence or transience of a simple random walk on an inhomogeneous network in general differs from the usual “local" type problem. This difference leads to a new classification of inhomogeneous discrete structures in terms of recurrence and transience on the average, describing their large scale topology from a “statistical" point of view. In this paper we analyze this classification and the properties connected to it, showing how the average behavior affects the thermodynamic properties of statistical models on graphs. Received 8 October 1999     

Bias and temperature dependence of the noise in a single electron transistor

Models generalizing the su (2) XX spin-chain were recently introduced. These XXC models also have an underlying su (2) structure. Their construction method is shown to generalize to the chains based on the fundamental representations of the A_m Lie algebras. Integrability of the new models is shown in the context of the quantum inverse scattering method. Their R-matrix is found and shown to yield a representation of the Hecke algebra. The diagonalization of the transfer matrices is carried out using the algebraic Bethe Ansatz. I comment on eventual generalizations and possible links to reaction-diffusion processes. Received: 24 June 1998 / Received in final form: 8 September 1998 / Accepted: 10 September 1998     

Standing wave instabilities, breather formation and thermalization in a Hamiltonian anharmonic lattice

Modulational instability of travelling plane waves is often considered as the first step in the formation of intrinsically localized modes (discrete breathers) in anharmonic lattices. Here, we consider an alternative mechanism for breather formation, originating in oscillatory instabilities of spatially periodic or quasiperiodic nonlinear standing waves (SWs). These SWs are constructed for Klein-Gordon or Discrete Nonlinear Schr?dinger lattices as exact time periodic and time reversible multibreather solutions from the limit of uncoupled oscillators, and merge into harmonic SWs in the small-amplitude limit. Approaching the linear limit, all SWs with nontrivial wave vectors (0 < Q < π) become unstable through oscillatory instabilities, persisting for arbitrarily small amplitudes in infinite lattices. The dynamics resulting from these instabilities is found to be qualitatively different for wave vectors smaller than or larger than π/2, respectively. In one regime persisting breathers are found, while in the other regime the system thermalizes. Received 6 October 2001 / Received in final form 1st March 2002 Published online 2 October 2002 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: mjn@ifm.liu.se     

On the question of possible experimental observation of Anderson localization of the neutron

A possible experiment is discussed, for the observation of Anderson localization of the neutron. The localized state may be formed in the process of inelastic downscattering of thermal or cold neutrons in a highly disordered substance with low neutron capture and upscattering cross sections. The lifetime of trapped (localized) neutrons in the sample is measured by counting the upscattered neutrons with a neutron counter surrounding the sample. Estimations of experimental parameters relevant to such an experiment are given. Received: 12 May 1997 / Revised: 12 September 1997 / Accepted: 16 September 1997     

s-wave bound and scattering state wave functions for a velocity-dependent Kisslinger potential

A relation linking the normalized s-wave scattering and the corresponding bound state wave functions at bound state poles is derived. This is done in the case of a non-local, velocity-dependent Kisslinger potential. Using formal scattering theory, we present two analytical proofs of the validity of the theorem. The first tackles the non-local potential directly, while the other transforms the potential to an equivalent local but energy-dependent one. The theorem is tested both analytically and numerically by solving the Schr?dinger equation exactly for the scattering and bound state wave functions when the Kisslinger potential has the form of a square well. A first order approximation to the deviation from the theorem away from bound state poles is obtained analytically. Furthermore, a proof of the analyticity of the Jost solutions in the presence of a non-local potential term is also given. Received: 3 March 2001 / Accepted: 9 June 2001     

Bound and scattering wave functions for a velocity-dependent Kisslinger potential for l > 0

Using formal scattering theory, the scattering wave functions are extrapolated to negative energies corresponding to bound-state poles. It is shown that the ratio of the normalized scattering and the corresponding bound-state wave functions, at a bound-state pole, is uniquely determined by the bound-state binding energy. This simple relation is proved analytically for an arbitrary angular momentum quantum number l > 0, in the presence of a velocity-dependent Kisslinger potential. The extrapolation relation is tested analytically by solving the Schr?dinger equation in the p-wave case exactly for the scattering and the corresponding bound-state wave functions when the Kisslinger potential has the form of a square well. A numerical resolution of the Schr?dinger equation in the p-wave case and of a square-well Kisslinger potential is carried out to investigate the range of validity of the extrapolated connection. It is found that the derived relation is satisfied best at low energies and short distances. Received: 17 October 2001 / Accepted: 4 January 2002     

Interface polarons in a heterojunction with triangular bending-band

The interface polaron states in a heterojunction are discussed by considering an energy-band bending near the interface and the influence of an image potential. The ground state energy and the effective mass of a polaron are variationally calculated. The numerical results for the GaAs/ heterojunction are given. It is shown that even though the influences from bulk longitudinal optical (LO) phonons are more important for the heterojunctions with lower Al composition, the contributions from two branches of interface optical (IO) phonons are not negligible. For the heterojunctions with higher Al composition, both the influences from LO phonons and two branches of IO phonons are important. The band-bending plays an important role for the interface localization of polarons, but the influence of the image potential is not essential. Received: 4 November 1997 / Revised and Accepted: 9 March 1998     

High-resolution resonant photoemission study of the 4f states in a typical Kondo system: CePd3

We exploited resonant photoemission at the Ce absorption edge to investigate the Ce 4f states in . High resolution spectra reveal, near the Fermi level, the characteristic fine structure of intermediate valence Ce compounds. The spectral lineshape is consistent with the typical “Kondo” character of CePd, but the prominent ionization peak is found at the unusually low binding energy of 1 eV. We briefly discuss the implications of these observations. Received: 13 October 1997 / Accepted: 21 January 1998     

Metastability of a circular o-ring due to intrinsic curvature

An o-ring takes spontaneously the shape of a chair when strong enough torsion is applied in its tangent plane. This state is metastable, since work has to be done on the o-ring to return to the circular shape. We show that this metastable state exists in a Hamiltonian where curvature and torsion are coupled via an intrinsic curvature term. If the o-ring is constrained to be planar (2d case), this metastable state displays a kink-anti-kink pair. This state is metastable if the ratio is less than , where C and A are the torsion and the bending elastic constants [#!landau!#]. In three dimensions, our variational approach shows that . This model can be generalized to the case where the bend is induced by a concentration field which follows the variations of the curvature. Received: 27 August 1997 / Revised: 23 October 1997 / Accepted: 12 November 1997