Monte Carlo tests of stochastic Loewner evolution predictions for the 2D self-avoiding walk

The conjecture that the scaling limit of the two-dimensional self-avoiding walk (SAW) in a half plane is given by the stochastic Loewner evolution (SLE) with kappa = 8/3 leads to explicit predictions about the SAW. A remarkable feature of these predictions is that they yield not just critical exponents but also probability distributions for certain random variables associated with the self-avoiding walk. We test two of these predictions with Monte Carlo simulations and find excellent agreement, thus providing numerical support to the conjecture that the scaling limit of the SAW is SLE(8/3).     

Conformal Invariance and Stochastic Loewner Evolution Predictions for the 2D Self-Avoiding Walk—Monte Carlo Tests

Simulations of the two-dimensional self-avoiding walk (SAW) are performed in a half-plane and a cut-plane (the complex plane with the positive real axis removed) using the pivot algorithm. We test the conjecture of Lawler, Schramm, and Werner that the scaling limit of the two-dimensional SAW is given by Schramm's stochastic Loewner evolution (SLE). The agreement is found to be excellent. The simulations also test the conformal invariance of the SAW since conformal invariance implies that if we map infinite length walks in the cut-plane into the half plane using the conformal map $z \to \sqrt z$ , then the resulting walks will have the same distribution as the SAW in the half plane. The simulations show excellent agreement between the distributions.     

SLE on Doubly-Connected Domains and the Winding of Loop-Erased Random Walks

Two-dimensional loop-erased random walks (LERWs) are random planar curves whose scaling limit is known to be a Schramm-Loewner evolution SLE _κ with parameter κ=2. In this note, some properties of an SLE _κ trace on doubly-connected domains are studied and a connection to passive scalar diffusion in a Burgers flow is emphasised. In particular, the endpoint probability distribution and winding probabilities for SLE₂ on a cylinder, starting from one boundary component and stopped when hitting the other, are found. A relation of the result to conditioned one-dimensional Brownian motion is pointed out. Moreover, this result permits to study the statistics of the winding number for SLE₂ with fixed endpoints. A solution for the endpoint distribution of SLE₄ on the cylinder is obtained and a relation to reflected Brownian motion pointed out.     

Whole-Plane Self-avoiding Walks and Radial Schramm-Loewner Evolution: A Numerical Study

We numerically test the correspondence between the scaling limit of self-avoiding walks (SAW) in the plane and Schramm-Loewner evolution (SLE) with κ=8/3. We introduce a discrete-time process approximating SLE in the exterior of a small disc and compare the distribution functions for an internal point in the SAW and a point at a fixed fractal variation on the SLE, finding good agreement. This provides numerical evidence in favor of a conjecture by Lawler, Schramm and Werner. The algorithm turns out to be an efficient way of computing the position of an internal point in the SAW.     

Bridge Decomposition of Restriction Measures

Motivated by Kesten’s bridge decomposition for two-dimensional self-avoiding walks in the upper half plane, we show that the conjectured scaling limit of the half-plane SAW, the SLE(8/3) process, also has an appropriately defined bridge decomposition. This continuum decomposition turns out to entirely be a consequence of the restriction property of SLE(8/3), and as a result can be generalized to the wider class of restriction measures. Specifically we show that the restriction hulls with index less than one can be decomposed into a Poisson Point Process of irreducible bridges in a way that is similar to Itô’s excursion decomposition of a Brownian motion according to its zeros.     

The Length of an SLE—Monte Carlo Studies

The scaling limits of a variety of critical two-dimensional lattice models are equal to the Schramm–Loewner evolution (SLE) for a suitable value of the parameter κ. These lattice models have a natural parametrization of their random curves given by the length of the curve. This parametrization (with suitable scaling) should provide a natural parametrization for the curves in the scaling limit. We conjecture that this parametrization is also given by a type of fractal variation along the curve, and present Monte Carlo simulations to support this conjecture. Then we show by simulations that if this fractal variation is used to parametrize the SLE, then the parametrized curves have the same distribution as the curves in the scaling limit of the lattice models with their natural parametrization.     

Two-Dimensional Critical Percolation: The Full Scaling Limit

We use SLE ₆ paths to construct a process of continuum nonsimple loops in the plane and prove that this process coincides with the full continuum scaling limit of 2D critical site percolation on the triangular lattice – that is, the scaling limit of the set of all interfaces between different clusters. Some properties of the loop process, including conformal invariance, are also proved.Research partially supported by a Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship under contract MEIF-CT-2003-500740 and by a Veni grant of the Dutch Organization for Scientific Research (NWO).Research partially supported by the U.S. NSF under grant DMS-01-04278.     

Loop-Erasure of Planar Brownian Motion

We use a coupling technique to prove that there exists a loop-erasure of the time-reversal of a planar Brownian motion stopped on exiting a simply connected domain, and that the loop-erased curve is a radial SLE₂ curve. This result extends to Brownian motions and Brownian excursions under certain conditioning in a finitely connected plane domain, and the loop-erased curve is a continuous LERW curve.     

Continuum Nonsimple Loops and 2D Critical Percolation

Substantial progress has been made in recent years on the 2D critical percolation scaling limit and its conformal invariance properties. In particular, chordal SLE ₆(the Stochastic Loewner Evolution with parameter κ=6) was, in the work of Schramm and of Smirnov, identified as the scaling limit of the critical percolation “exploration process.” In this paper we use that and other results to construct what we argue is the fullscaling limit of the collection of allclosed contours surrounding the critical percolation clusters on the 2D triangular lattice. This random process or gas of continuum nonsimple loops in Bbb R²is constructed inductively by repeated use of chordal SLE ₆. These loops do not cross but do touch each other—indeed, any two loops are connected by a finite “path” of touching loops.     

Conformal Field Theories of Stochastic Loewner Evolutions

Stochastic Loewner evolutions (SLE) are random growth processes of sets, called hulls, embedded in the two dimensional upper half plane. We elaborate and develop a relation between SLE evolutions and conformal field theories (CFT) which is based on a group theoretical formulation of SLE processes and on the identification of the proper hull boundary states. This allows us to define an infinite set of SLE zero modes, or martingales, whose existence is a consequence of the existence of a null vector in the appropriate Virasoro modules. This identification leads, for instance, to linear systems for generalized crossing probabilities whose coefficients are multipoint CFT correlation functions. It provides a direct link between conformal correlation functions and probabilities of stopping time events in SLE evolutions. We point out a relation between SLE processes and two dimensional gravity and conjecture a reconstruction procedure of conformal field theories from SLE data. Member of the CNRS     

Some Remarks on SLE Bubbles and Schramm’s Two-point Observable

Simmons and Cardy recently predicted a formula for the probability that the chordal SLE_8/3 path passes to the left of two points in the upper half-plane. In this paper we give a rigorous proof of their formula. Starting from this result, we derive explicit expressions for several natural connectivity functions for SLE_8/3 bubbles conditioned to be of macroscopic size. By passing to a limit with such a bubble we construct a certain chordal restriction measure and in this way obtain a proof of a formula for the probability that two given points are between two commuting SLE_8/3 paths. The one-point version of this result has been predicted by Gamsa and Cardy. Finally, we derive an integral formula for the second moment of the area of an SLE_8/3 bubble conditioned to have radius 1. We evaluate the area integral numerically and relate its value to a hypothesis that the area follows the Airy distribution.     

Baric changes in refractive indices of K<Subscript>2</Subscript>ZnCl<Subscript>4</Subscript> crystals

The influence of uniaxial pressure applied along the principal crystallophysical directions on the dispersion and temperature dependences of the refractive indices n _i of K₂ZnCl₄ crystals has been investigated. The n _i values are found to be fairly sensitive to uniaxial pressure, whereas an uniaxial stress does not change the behavior of the dispersion and temperature dependences of n _i . The baric changes in n _i have been studied. The electronic polarizability α _i , refractions R, and parameters of UV oscillators (λ_0i , B _1i ) of mechanically deformed K₂ZnCl₄ crystals have been calculated. The contributions of UV and IR oscillators to n _i (λ) have been estimated for different temperatures, spectral regions, and stresses. A significant baric shift of the points of the paraelectric phase-incommensurate phase-commensurate phase transitions to different temperature ranges, depending on the direction of pressure application, is found; this shift is due to the effect of uniaxial stress on the K₂ZnCl₄ crystal structure.     

The Gaussian Free Field and SLE<Subscript>4</Subscript> on Doubly Connected Domains

The level lines of the Gaussian free field are known to be related to SLE₄. It is shown how this relation allows to define chordal SLE₄ processes on doubly connected domains, describing traces that are anchored on one of the two boundary components. The precise nature of the processes depends on the conformally invariant boundary conditions imposed on the second boundary component. Extensions of Schramm’s formula to doubly connected domains are given for the standard Dirichlet and Neumann conditions and a relation to first-exit problems for Brownian bridges is established. For the free field compactified at the self-dual radius, the extended symmetry leads to a class of conformally invariant boundary conditions parametrised by elements of SU(2). It is shown how to extend SLE₄ to this setting. This allows for a derivation of new passage probabilities à la Schramm that interpolate continuously from Dirichlet to Neumann conditions.     

The anisotropy of the basic characteristics of Lamb waves in a (001)-Bi<Subscript>12</Subscript>SiO<Subscript>20</Subscript> piezoelectric crystal

The orientation dependences of the phase velocity, the effective electromechanical coupling coefficient, and the angle between the wave normal and the energy flux vector are numerically calculated for zeroand first-order Lamb waves propagating in the (001) basal plane of a Bi₁₂SiO₂₀ cubic piezoelectric crystal. It is shown that the anisotropies of these modes are different and depend on the plate thickness h and the wavelength λ. For h/λ < 1, the mode anisotropy can exceed the anisotropy of the corresponding characteristics of surface acoustic waves propagating in the same plane; for h/λ > 1, it approximately coincides with the SAW anisotropy for all the characteristics.     

The Scaling Limit Geometry of Near-Critical 2D Percolation

We analyze the geometry of scaling limits of near-critical 2D percolation, i.e., for p = p _c+λδ^1/ν, with ν = 4/3, as the lattice spacing δ → 0. Our proposed framework extends previous analyses for p = p _c, based on SLE ₆. It combines the continuum nonsimple loop process describing the full scaling limit at criticality with a Poissonian process for marking double (touching) points of that (critical) loop process. The double points are exactly the continuum limits of “macroscopically pivotal” lattice sites and the marked ones are those that actually change state as λ varies. This structure is rich enough to yield a one-parameter family of near-critical loop processes and their associated connectivity probabilities as well as related processes describing, e.g., the scaling limit of 2D minimal spanning trees.     

Stability of gold cages (Au<Subscript>16</Subscript> and Au<Subscript>17</Subscript>) at finite temperature

We have employed ab initio molecular dynamics to investigate the stability of the smallest gold cages, namely Au₁₆ and Au₁₇, at finite temperatures. First, we obtain the ground state structure along with at least 50 distinct isomers for both the clusters. This is followed by the finite temperature simulations of these clusters. Each cluster is maintained at 12 different temperatures for a time period of at least 150 ps. Thus, the total simulation time is of the order of 2.4 ns for each cluster. We observe that the cages are stable at least up to 850 K. Although both clusters melt around the same temperature, i.e. around 900 K, Au₁₇ shows a peak in the heat capacity curve in contrast to the broad peak seen for Au₁₆.      

Anisotropy of the vortex structure and resistivity in the basal plane of YBa<Subscript>2</Subscript>Cu<Subscript>4</Subscript>O<Subscript>8</Subscript> single crystals

The vortex lattice of the YBa₂Cu₄O₈ high-temperature superconductor is studied in the basal plane of monocrystalline samples using the decoration technique in a field interval of 40–600 Oe. Vortex lattice anisotropy (field-independent “compression” of a regular hexagonal vortex cell in the poorly conducting direction by a factor of about 1.3) is detected. Resistivity anisotropy ρ _a /ρ _b measured at temperatures from T _c to room temperature is 16–9. Possible reasons for the discrepancy between our results and the available data are discussed.     

Colossal magnetodielectric effect in SmFe<Subscript>3</Subscript>(BO<Subscript>3</Subscript>)<Subscript>4</Subscript> multiferroic

The colossal (more than threefold) decrease in the dielectric constant ɛ in the easy-plane SmFe₃(BO₃)₄ ferroborate in a magnetic field of ∼5 kOe applied in the basal ab plane of the crystal has been found. A close relation of this effect to anomalies in the field dependence of the electric polarization has been established. It has been shown that this magnetodielectric effect is due to the contribution to ɛ from the electric susceptibility, which is related to the rotation of spins in the ab plane, arises in the region of the antiferromagnetic ordering T < T _N = 33 K, and is suppressed by the magnetic field. A theoretical model describing the main features of the behavior of ɛ and electric polarization in the magnetic field has been proposed, taking into account the additional anisotropy in the basal plane induced by the magnetoelastic stresses.     

Mechanism of formation of texture and its influence on the strength of thermoelectric <Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-Bi<Subscript>0.5</Subscript>Sb<Subscript>1.5</Subscript>Te<Subscript>3</Subscript>

It is established that, in preparing p-Bi_0.5Sb_1.5Te₃ by vertical zone melting, in addition to the directional texture (characteristic of materials exhibiting a highly anisotropic growth rate) in which the cleavage planes of crystal grains are parallel to the direction of propagation of the crystallization front, other texture types can arise, in which the orientation of grain cleavage planes is ordered in a cross-sectional plane of the ingot. Two types of such textures, “radial” and “circular,” were observed. In a radial texture, the lines of intersection of grain cleavage planes with a cross-sectional plane of the ingot are oriented along radii of this cross section and, in a circular texture, these lines of intersection are oriented approximately perpendicular to a radius crossing the grain. The formation of a radial texture is associated with rotation of the ampoule with the crystallizing substance about its vertical axis causing centrifugal flows of the melt. The formation of a circular texture is associated with the orientation effect of the ampoule walls and with circular motion of the melt during torsional oscillations of the ampoule about the vertical axis. Ingots with a radial texture exhibit much lower resistance to splitting along their axis than ingots with a circular texture do. An explanation is provided for this fact.     

Relationship between low frequency dielectric dispersion and ferroelectric phase transition in pulsed-laser-deposited Bi<Subscript>4-x</Subscript>La<Subscript>x</Subscript>Ti<Subscript>3</Subscript>O<Subscript>12</Subscript> thin film

The frequency and temperature dependence of the complex dielectric constant of Bi_4-xLa_xTi₃O₁₂ (BLT, x=0.9) ferroelectric thin film was studied in the frequency range of 10^-110⁶ Hz and the temperature range of 298673 K. A low frequency dielectric dispersion (LFDD) was found. A model was proposed to account for this observed phenomena. The complex dielectric constant data obtained in the measured frequency and temperature ranges have been found to fit very well to the dielectric dispersion relation: ^*=+i/₀+[B(i)^n-1]/₀. The knee in the log of the electrical conductivity versus the reciprocal temperature curve occurs at T_c. The activation energies associated with charge conduction are E_a,II=0.73 eV below T_c and E_a,I=0.95 eV above T_c. The occurrence of an anomaly in both the n and parameters near T_c indicates a coupling between charge carries and phonons. PACS 77.55.+f; 77.80.-e; 77.22.Jp