Photon statistics of a bad-cavity laser near threshold

A simple model of a bad-cavity laser is presented based on Haken's master equation for N pumped two-level atoms in a cavity. Via adiabatic elimination of fast variables the whole photon statistics is solved analytically near threshold. It is shown that the second order coherence function g ⁽²⁾ (0) has a very different behavior near threshold for a bad-cavity laser compared to a good-cavity laser. The power spectrum illustrates nicely the different time scales involved in the dynamics. Received: 13 November 1998 / Revised: 19 May 1998 / Accepted: 6 July 1998     

On the incommensurate phase in modulated Heisenberg chains

Using the density matrix renormalization group method (DMRG) we calculate the magnetization of frustrated S=1/2 Heisenberg chains for various modulation patterns of the nearest neighbour coupling: commensurate, incommensurate with sinusoidal modulation and incommensurate with solitonic modulation. We focus on the order of the phase transition from the commensurate dimerized phase (D) to the incommensurate phase (I). It is shown that the order of the phase transition depends sensitively on the model. For the solitonic model in particular, a k-dependent elastic energy modifies the order of the transition. Furthermore, we calculate gaps in the incommensurate phase in adiabatic approximation. Received: 9 March 1998 / Accepted: 17 April 1998     

First and second order transition in frustrated XY systems

The nature of the phase transition for the XY stacked triangular antiferromagnet (STA) is a controversial subject at present. The field theoretical renormalization group (RG) in three dimensions predicts a first order transition. This prediction disagrees with Monte-Carlo (MC) simulations which favor a new universality class or a tricritical transition. We simulate by the Monte-Carlo method two models derived from the STA by imposing the constraint of local rigidity which should have the same critical behavior as the original model. A strong first order transition is found. Following Zumbach we analyze the second order transition observed in MC studies as due to a fixed point in the complex plane. We review the experimental results in order to clarify the critical behavior observed. Received: 18 February 1998 / Revised: 24 April 1998 / Accepted: 30 April 1998     

Numerical simulations of the dynamical behavior of the SK model

We study the dynamical behavior of the Sherrington Kirkpatrick model. Thanks to the APE supercomputer we are able to analyze large lattice volumes, and to investigate the low T region. We present a new and precise determination of the remnant magnetization and of its time decay exponent, of the energy time decay exponent, and we discuss aging phenomena in the model. We exclude validity of naive aging, and propose different options that fit the numerical data. Received: 14 August 1997 / Revised: 2 December 1997 / Accepted: 30 January 1998     

Surface effects in field-induced smectic transitions

We study the surface behavior of a semi-infinite smectogenic sample bounded by a solid wall, in the presence of an external electric field. Our analysis is performed in the framework of a Landau-de Gennes theory. For the sake of simplicity, we consider only the case in which, in the absence of field and surfaces, a direct isotropic to smectic-A transition occurs, while in the presence of the electric field a nonspontaneous nematic phase appears. Two new surface phases are identified, namely a parasmectic and a surface-induced smectic phase. The shifts in the transition temperatures and the critical behavior of the surface states are analyzed. Received: 25 August 1997 / Accepted: 23 January 1998     

Heavy electron YBNi2B2C and giant exchange YbNiBC: 170Yb Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetization studies

We present magnetic properties of the three-band Hubbard model in the para- and antiferromagnetic phase on a hypercubic lattice calculated with the Dynamical Mean-Field Theory (DMFT). To allow for solutions with broken spin-symmetry we extended the approach to lattices with AB-like structure. Above a critical sublattice magnetization one can observe rich structures in the spectral-functions similar to the t-J model which can be related to the well known bound states for one hole in the Neél-background. In addition to the one-particle properties we discuss the static spin-susceptibility in the paramagnetic state at the points and for different dopings . The -T-phase-diagram exhibits an enhanced stability of the antiferromagnetic state for electron-doped systems in comparison to hole-doped. This asymmetry in the phase diagram is in qualitative agreement with experiments for high-T_c materials. Received: 28 May 1998 / Revised and Accepted: 14 September 1998     

Non-linear response and electron-electron interactions in mesoscopic metal rings

A time-dependent electric field gives rise to a stationary non-equilibrium current I ⁽²⁾ around a mesoscopic metal ring threaded by a magnetic flux. We show that this current, which is proportional to the intensity of the field, is closely related to the exchange part of the interaction contribution to the equilibrium persistent current, and that the corresponding non-linear conductivity directly measures the weak localization correction to the polarization. We explicitly calculate the disorder average of I ⁽²⁾ in the diffusive regime as function of the frequency of the electric field and the static flux piercing the ring, and suggest an experiment to test our theory. Received: 5 September 1997 / Accepted: 4 November 1997     

Mixed spin transverse Ising model with longitudinal random crystal field interactions

The effect of a longitudinal random crystal field interaction on the phase diagrams of the mixed spin transverse Ising model consisting of spin-1/2 and spin-1 is investigated within the finite cluster approximation based on a single-site cluster theory. In order to expand a cluster identity of spin-1, we transform the spin-1 to spin-1/2 representation containing Pauli operators. We derive the state equations applicable to structures with arbitrary coordination number N. The phase diagrams obtained in the case of a honeycomb lattice (N=3) and a simple-cubic lattice (N=6), are qualitatively different and examined in detail. We find that both systems exhibit a variety of interesting features resulting from the fluctuation of the crystal field interactions. Received: 13 February 1998 / Accepted: 17 March 1998     

Elliptic curves from finite order recursions or non-involutive permutations for discrete dynamical systems and lattice statistical mechanics

We study birational mappings generated by matrix inversion and permutations of the entries of matrices. For q=3 we have performed a systematic examination of all the birational mappings associated with permutations of matrices in order to find integrable mappings and some finite order recursions. This exhaustive analysis gives, among 30 462 classes of mappings, 20 classes of integrable birational mappings, 8 classes associated with integrable recursions and 44 classes yielding finite order recursions. An exhaustive analysis (with a constraint on the diagonal entries) has also been performed for matrices: we have found 880 new classes of mappings associated with integrable recursions. We have visualized the orbits of the birational mappings corresponding to these 880 classes. Most correspond to elliptic curves and very few to surfaces or higher dimensional algebraic varieties. All these new examples show that integrability can actually correspond to non-involutive permutations. The analysis of the integrable cases specific of a particular size of the matrix and a careful examination of the non-involutive permutations, shed some light on the integrability of such birational mappings. Received: 9 February 1998 / Revised: 13 March 1998 / Accepted: 17 March 1998     

Suppression of antiferromagnetic correlations by quenched dipole-type impurities

The effects of quenched dipole moments on a two-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet are found exactly, by applying the renormalization group to the appropriate classical non-linear sigma model. Such dipole moments represent random fields with power law correlations. At low temperatures, they also represent the long range effects of quenched random strong ferromagnetic bonds on the antiferromagnetic correlation length, , of a two-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet. It is found that the antiferromagnetic long range order is destroyed for any non-zero concentration, x, of the dipolar defects, even at zero temperature. Below a line , where T is the temperature, is independent of T, and decreases exponentially with x. At higher temperatures, it decays exponentially with , with an effective stiffness constant , which decreases with increasing x/T. The latter behavior is the same as for annealed dipole moments, and we use our quenched results to interpolate between the two types of averaging for the problem of ferromagnetic bonds in an antiferromagnet. The results are used to estimate the three-dimensional Néel temperature of a lamellar system with weakly coupled planes, which decays linearly with x at small concentrations, and drops precipitously at a critical concentration. These predictions are shown to reproduce successfully several of the prominent features of experiments on slightly doped copper oxides. Received 22 October 1998     

Nucleation-and-growth problem in model lipid membranes undergoing subgel phase transitions is a problem of time scale

In this Rapid Note, we show that the problem of growth of molecular superlattice in a fully hydrated dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) membrane during the gel-to-subgel phase transformation process is a problem of time scale. There are, in fact, two time scales. The first is an “integrated” or, in some sense, stagnant time scale, that reflects the well-known isotropic growth effect in the d-dimensional space, but assigns the problem to be still in a category of Debye relaxation kinetics. The fraction of old (parent) phase does not suit the Paley-Wiener criterion for relaxation functions, and the time behavior is exclusively due to the geometrical characteristics of the kinetic process. The second (multi-instantaneous) time scale, in turn, is recognised to be a “broken” (fractional time derivative) or memory-feeling (dynamic) scale, which carries some very essential physics of the phenomenon under study, and classifies the problem to be of non-Debye (viz., stretched exponential) nature. It may, in principle, contain all the important effects, like small scale coexistence, presence of collisions between domains, with possible annihilation and creation of domain boundaries, and/or a headgroup packing, hydration against lipid mobility behavior, and finally, a multitude of quasi-crystalline states. It turns out, that within the range of validity of the dynamic scale approximation proposed, the criterion for relaxation functions is very well fulfilled. Received 30 November 1998     

Flow equations and the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida interaction

In the past different models for the magnetic salt vanadyl pyrophosphate (VO)₂P₂O₇ were discussed. Neither a spin ladder nor an alternating chain are capable to describe recently measured magnetic excitations. In this paper we propose a 2D model that fits better to experimental observations. Received: 29 May 1998 / Received in final form: 25 September 1998 / Accepted: 30 September 1998     

Squeezed two-mode lasers without and with inversion

On the basis of the nondegenerate quantum-beat laser model, we introduce a coherent field which drives the transition between the upper lasing level and an auxiliary level. We demonstrate that such a four-level system can produce squeezed two-mode laser without and with inversion. When the laser is operated well above threshold, the intensity fluctuation in the average mode is reduced below the shot noise with an optimum Mandel parameter Q=- 1/2. At the same time, the noises in the relative amplitude and the relative phase drop to their vaccum noise levels. Furthermore, regardless of inversion, noninversion, and transition between inversion and noninversion, the optimum Mandel Q parameter of Q=- 1/2 is retained when the system operates well above threshold. A simple physical explanation of the squeezing mechanism for two-mode squeezing is given. Received: 22 December 1997 / Revised: 25 March 1998 / Accepted: 9 September 1998     

Statistical analysis of the transition to turbulence in plane Couette flow

We argue on general grounds that the transition to turbulence in plane Couette flow is best studied experimentally at a statistical level. We present such a statistical analysis of experimental data guided by a parallel investigation of a simple coupled map lattice model for spatiotemporal intermittency. We confirm that this generic type of spatiotemporal chaos is relevant in the context of plane Couette flow, where the linear stability of the laminar regime at all Reynolds numbers insures the necessary local subcriticality. Using large ensembles of similar experiments, we show the existence of a well-defined threshold Reynolds number above which a unique, turbulent, intermittent attractor coexists with the laminar flow. Furthermore, our data reveals that this transition to spatiotemporal intermittency is discontinuous, i.e. akin to a first-order phase transition. Received: 10 April 1998 / Revised: 22 June 1998 / Accepted: 24 June 1998     

Effect of relevant umklapp process on the two-leg Hubbard ladder with a half-filled band under pressure

By means of perturbative renormalization approach we study the effect of relevant umklapp process on dimensional crossover caused by interladder one particle hopping in weakly coupled two-leg Hubbard ladders with a half filled-band. We found that a crossover takes place at a finite value which increases as the amplitude of umklapp process increases. For the system undergoes a phase transition to the spin density wave phase (SDW) via the two particle hopping process, while for the system undergoes a crossover to the two dimensional Fermi liquid phase via one particle hopping process. Received 25 December 1998     

How popular is your paper? An empirical study of the citation distribution

Numerical data for the distribution of citations are examined for: (i) papers published in 1981 in journals which are catalogued by the Institute for Scientific Information (783,339 papers) and (ii) 20 years of publications in Physical Review D, vols. 11-50 (24,296 papers). A Zipf plot of the number of citations to a given paper versus its citation rank appears to be consistent with a power-law dependence for leading rank papers, with exponent close to -1/2. This, in turn, suggests that the number of papers with x citations, N(x), has a large-x power law decay , with . Received: 12 May 1998 / Accepted: 12 May 1998     

Configuration space for random walk dynamics

Applied to statistical physics models, the random cost algorithm enforces a Random Walk (RW) in energy (or possibly other thermodynamic quantities). The dynamics of this procedure is distinct from fixed weight updates. The probability for a configuration to be sampled depends on a number of unusual quantities, which are explained in this paper. This has been overlooked in recent literature, where the method is advertised for the calculation of canonical expectation values. We illustrate these points for the 2d Ising model. In addition, we prove a previously conjectured equation which relates microcanonical expectation values to the spectral density. Received: 13 May 1998 / Received in final form and Accepted: 26 May 1998     

Comparative study of the critical behavior in one-dimensional random and aperiodic environments

We consider cooperative processes (quantum spin chains and random walks) in one-dimensional fluctuating random and aperiodic environments characterized by fluctuating exponents . At the critical point the random and aperiodic systems scale essentially anisotropically in a similar fashion: length (L) and time (t) scales are related as . Also some critical exponents, characterizing the singularities of average quantities, are found to be universal functions of , whereas some others do depend on details of the distribution of the disorder. In the off-critical region there is an important difference between the two types of environments: in aperiodic systems there are no extra (Griffiths)-singularities. Received: 5 February 1998 / Accepted: 17 April 1998