Conformally invariant fractals and potential theory

The multifractal (MF) distribution of the electrostatic potential near any conformally invariant fractal boundary, like a critical O(N) loop or a Q-state Potts cluster, is solved in two dimensions. The dimension &fcirc;(straight theta) of the boundary set with local wedge angle straight theta is &fcirc;(straight theta) = pi / straight theta-25-c / 12 (pi-straight theta)(2) / straight theta(2pi-straight theta), with c the central charge of the model. As a corollary, the dimensions D(EP) of the external perimeter and D(H) of the hull of a Potts cluster obey the duality equation (D(EP)-1) (D(H)-1) = 1 / 4. A related covariant MF spectrum is obtained for self-avoiding walks anchored at cluster boundaries.     

Harmonic measure of critical curves

Fractal geometry of critical curves appearing in 2D critical systems is characterized by their harmonic measure. For systems described by conformal field theories with central charge c < or = 1, scaling exponents of the harmonic measure have been computed by Duplantier [Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 1363 (2000)10.1103/PhysRevLett.84.1363] by relating the problem to boundary two-dimensional gravity. We present a simple argument connecting the harmonic measure of critical curves to operators obtained by fusion of primary fields and compute characteristics of the fractal geometry by means of regular methods of conformal field theory. The method is not limited to theories with c < or = 1.     

Percolation of diffusional creep: a new universality class

We study the percolation aspects of diffusional "Coble" creep on heterogeneous grain boundary networks, assuming free grain boundary sliding. A novel percolation threshold is obtained for the honeycomb lattice when two representative types of grain boundaries are randomly distributed, p(cc)=0.5416+/-0.0036. The creep viscosity diverges near the percolation threshold with power-law exponents t=1.69+/-0.09 and s=1.88+/-0.12, different from the standard conduction and rigidity percolation exponents. The moments of both the force and flux distributions all conform to finite-size scaling at p(cc), but with new exponents. These new scaling behaviors seen in the creeping system are proposed to arise from the unique coupling of both force and flux balances in the network.     

An efficient locally one-dimensional finite-difference time-domain method based on the conformal scheme

An efficient conformal locally one-dimensional finite-difference time-domain(LOD-CFDTD) method is presented for solving two-dimensional(2D) electromagnetic(EM) scattering problems. The formulation for the 2D transverse-electric(TE) case is presented and its stability property and numerical dispersion relationship are theoretically investigated. It is shown that the introduction of irregular grids will not damage the numerical stability. Instead of the staircasing approximation, the conformal scheme is only employed to model the curve boundaries, whereas the standard Yee grids are used for the remaining regions. As the irregular grids account for a very small percentage of the total space grids, the conformal scheme has little effect on the numerical dispersion. Moreover, the proposed method, which requires fewer arithmetic operations than the alternating-direction-implicit(ADI) CFDTD method, leads to a further reduction of the CPU time. With the total-field/scattered-field(TF/SF) boundary and the perfectly matched layer(PML), the radar cross section(RCS) of two2 D structures is calculated. The numerical examples verify the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method.     

Ashkin-teller criticality and pseudo-first-order behavior in a frustrated Ising model on the square lattice

We study the challenging thermal phase transition to stripe order in the frustrated square-lattice Ising model with couplings J(1) < 0 (nearest-neighbor, ferromagnetic) and J(2) > 0 (second-neighbor, antiferromagnetic) for g = J(2)/|J(1| > 1/2. Using Monte Carlo simulations and known analytical results, we demonstrate Ashkin-Teller criticality for g ≥ g*; i.e., the critical exponents vary continuously between those of the 4-state Potts model at g = g* and the Ising model for g → ∞. Thus, stripe transitions offer a route to realizing a related class of conformal field theories with conformal charge c = 1 and varying exponents. The transition is first order for g < g* = 0.67 ± 0.01, much lower than previously believed, and exhibits pseudo-first-order behavior for |g* ≤ g 相似文献   

Polychromatic Arm Exponents for the Critical Planar FK-Ising Model

Schramm–Loewner evolution (SLE) is a one-parameter family of random planar curves introduced by Schramm in 1999 as the candidates for the scaling limits of the interfaces in the planar critical lattice models. This is the only possible process with conformal invariance and a certain “domain Markov property”. In 2010, Chelkak and Smirnov proved the conformal invariance of the scaling limits of the critial planar FK-Ising model which gave the convergence of the interface to \(\text {SLE}_{16/3}\). We derive the arm exponents of \(\text {SLE}_{\kappa }\) for \(\kappa \in (4,8)\). Combining with the convergence of the interface, we derive the arm exponents of the critical FK-Ising model. We obtain six different patterns of boundary arm exponents and three different patterns of interior arm exponents of the critical planar FK-Ising model on the square lattice.     

Logarithmic terms in entanglement entropies of 2D quantum critical points and Shannon entropies of spin chains

Universal logarithmic terms in the entanglement entropy appear at quantum critical points (QCPs) in one dimension (1D) and have been predicted in 2D at QCPs described by 2D conformal field theories. The entanglement entropy in a strip geometry at such QCPs can be obtained via the "Shannon entropy" of a 1D spin chain with open boundary conditions. The Shannon entropy of the XXZ chain is found to have a logarithmic term that implies, for the QCP of the square-lattice quantum dimer model, a logarithm with universal coefficient ±0.25. However, the logarithm in the Shannon entropy of the transverse-field Ising model, which corresponds to entanglement in the 2D Ising conformal QCP, is found to have a singular dependence on the replica or Rényi index resulting from flows to different boundary conditions at the entanglement cut.     

Interface states in two-dimensional electron systems with spin-orbital interaction

Interface states at a boundary between regions with different spin-orbit interactions (SOIs) in two-dimensional (2D) electron systems are investigated within the one-band effective mass method with generalized boundary conditions for envelope functions. We have found that the interface states unexpectedly exist even if the effective interface potential equals zero. Depending on the system parameters, the energy of these states can lie in either or both forbidden and conduction bands of bulk states. The interface states have chiral spin texture similar to that of the edge states in 2D topological insulators. However, their energy spectrum is more sensitive to the interfacial potential, the largest effect being produced by the spin-dependent component of the interfacial potential. We have also studied the size quantization of the interface states in a strip of 2D electron gas with SOI and found an unusual (non-monotonic) dependence of the quantization energy on the strip width.     

TBA and TCSA with boundaries and excited states

We study the spectrum of the scaling Lee-Yang model on a finite interval from two points of view: via a generalisation of the truncated conformal space approach to systems with boundaries, and via the boundary thermodynamic Bethe ansatz. This allows reflection factors to be matched with specific boundary conditions, and leads us to propose a new (and non-minimal) family of reflection factors to describe the one relevant boundary perturbation in the model. The equations proposed previously for the ground state on an interval must be revised in certain regimes, and we find the necessary modifications by analytic continuation. We also propose new equations to describe excited states, and check all equations against boundary truncated conformal space data. Access to the finite-size spectrum enables us to observe boundary flows when the bulk remains massless, and the formation of boundary bound states when the bulk is massive.     

Statistics of resonances and delay times: a criterion for metal-insulator transitions

We study the distributions of the normalized resonance widths P(Gamma;) and delay times P(tau;) for 3D disordered tight-binding systems at the metal-insulator transition (MIT) by attaching leads to the boundary sites. Both distributions are scale invariant, independent of the microscopic details of the random potential and the number of channels. Theoretical considerations suggest the existence of a scaling theory for P(Gamma;) in finite samples, and numerical calculations confirm this hypothesis. Based on this, we give a new criterion for the determination and analysis of the MIT.     

N-cluster correlations in four- and five-dimensional percolation

We study N-cluster correlation functions in four- and five-dimensional (4D and 5D) bond percolation by extensive Monte Carlo simulation. We reformulate the transfer Monte Carlo algorithm for percolation [Phys. Rev. E72, 016126 (2005)] using the disjoint-set data structure, and simulate a cylindrical geometry L^d−1 × ∞, with the linear size up to L = 512 for 4D and 128 for 5D. We determine with a high precision all possible N-cluster exponents, for N =2 and 3, and the universal amplitude for a logarithmic correlation function. From the symmetric correlator with N=2, we obtain the correlationlength critical exponent as 1/ν=1.4610(12) for 4D and 1/ν=1.737(2) for 5D, significantly improving over the existing results. Estimates for the other exponents and the universal logarithmic amplitude have not been reported before to our knowledge. Our work demonstrates the validity of logarithmic conformal field theory and adds to the growing knowledge for high-dimensional percolation.     

Quantum brownian motion on a triangular lattice and c=2 boundary conformal field theory

We study a single particle diffusing on a triangular lattice and interacting with a heat bath, using boundary conformal field theory (CFT) and exact integrability techniques. We derive a correspondence between the phase diagram of this problem and that recently obtained for the 2-dimensional 3-state Potts model with a boundary. Exact results are obtained on phases with intermediate mobilities. These correspond to nontrivial boundary states in a conformal field theory with 2 free bosons which we explicitly construct for the first time. These conformally invariant boundary conditions are not simply products of Dirichlet and Neumann ones and unlike those trivial boundary conditions, are not invariant under a Heisenberg algebra.     

Anisotropic scaling and generalized conformal invariance at Lifshitz points

The behaviour of the 3D axial next-nearest-neighbor Ising model at the uniaxial Lifshitz point is studied using Monte Carlo techniques. A new variant of the Wolff cluster algorithm permits the analysis of systems far larger than in previous studies. The Lifshitz point critical exponents are alpha = 0.18(2), beta = 0.238(5), and gamma = 1.36(3). Data for the spin-spin correlation function are shown to be consistent with the explicit scaling function derived from the assumption of local scale invariance, which is a generalization of conformal invariance to the anisotropic scaling at the Lifshitz point.     

Holographic dual of a boundary conformal field theory

We propose a holographic dual of a conformal field theory defined on a manifold with boundaries, i.e., boundary conformal field theory (BCFT). Our new holography, which may be called anti-de?Sitter BCFT, successfully calculates the boundary entropy or g function in two-dimensional BCFTs and it agrees with the finite part of the holographic entanglement entropy. Moreover, we can naturally derive a holographic g theorem. We also analyze the holographic dual of an interval at finite temperature and show that there is a first order phase transition.     

Boundary renormalisation group flows of the supersymmetric Lee–Yang model and its extensions

In this paper we examine the supersymmetric Lee–Yang model in the presence of boundaries. We determine the reflection factors for the Neveu–Schwarz type boundary conditions from the reduction of the supersymmetric sine-Gordon model and check them by using boundary truncated conformal space approach in the massless case. We explore the boundary renormalisation groups flows using boundary TBA and TCSA.     

Integrable and Conformal Boundary Conditions for \widehat{s\ell}(2) A–D–E Lattice Models and Unitary Minimal Conformal Field Theories

Integrable boundary conditions are studied for critical A–D–E and general graph-based lattice models of statistical mechanics. In particular, using techniques associated with the Temperley–Lieb algebra and fusion, a set of boundary Boltzmann weights which satisfies the boundary Yang–Baxter equation is obtained for each boundary condition. When appropriately specialized, these boundary weights, each of which depends on three spins, decompose into more natural two-spin edge weights. The specialized boundary conditions for the A–D–E cases are naturally in one-to-one correspondence with the conformal boundary conditions of $\widehat{s\ell }$ (2) unitary minimal conformal field theories. Supported by this and further evidence, we conclude that, in the continuum scaling limit, the integrable boundary conditions provide realizations of the complete set of conformal boundary conditions in the corresponding field theories.     

Tunneling singularities in the open Hubbard chain

We study singularities in the I–V characteristics for sequential tunneling from resonant localized levels (e.g. a quantum dot) into a one-dimensional electron system described by a Hubbard model. Boundary conformal field theory together with the exact solution of the Hubbard model subject to boundary fields allow to compute the exponents describing the singularity arising when the energy of the local level is tuned through the Fermi energy of the wire as a function of electron density and magnetic field. For boundary potentials with bound states a sequence of such singularities can be observed.     

2D quantum gravity from quantum entanglement

In quantum systems with many degrees of freedom the replica method is a useful tool to study the entanglement of arbitrary spatial regions. We apply it in a way that allows them to backreact. As a consequence, they become dynamical subsystems whose position, form, and extension are determined by their interaction with the whole system. We analyze, in particular, quantum spin chains described at criticality by a conformal field theory. Its coupling to the Gibbs' ensemble of all possible subsystems is relevant and drives the system into a new fixed point which is argued to be that of the 2D quantum gravity coupled to this system. Numerical experiments on the critical Ising model show that the new critical exponents agree with those predicted by the formula of Knizhnik, Polyakov, and Zamolodchikov.     

Laplacian transfer across a rough interface: numerical resolution in the conformal plane

We use a conformal mapping technique to study the Laplacian transfer across a rough interface. Natural Dirichlet or Von Neumann boundary condition are simply read by the conformal map. Mixed boundary condition, albeit being more complex can be efficiently treated in the conformal plane. We show in particular that an expansion of the potential on a basis of evanescent waves in the conformal plane allows to write a well-conditioned 1D linear system. These general principle are illustrated by numerical results on rough interfaces.     

Conformal invariants for determinants of laplacians on Riemann surfaces

For a Riemann surface with smooth boundaries, conformal (Weyl) invariant quantities proportional to the determinant of the scalar Laplacian operator are constructed both for Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions. The determinants are defined by zeta function regularization. The other quantities in the invariants are determined from metric properties of the surface. As applications explicit representations for the determinants on the flat disk and the flat annulus are derived.