Testing approximate theories of first-order phase transitions on the two-dimensional Potts model

The two-dimensional,q-state (q>4) Potts model is used as a testing ground for approximate theories of first-order phase transitions. In particular, the predictions of a theory analogous to the Ramakrishnan-Yussouff theory of freezing are compared with those of ordinary mean-field (Curie-Wiess) theory. It is found that the Curie-Weiss theory is a better approximation than the Ramakrishnan-Yussouff theory, even though the former neglects all fluctuations. It is shown that the Ramakrishnan-Yussouff theory overestimates the effects of fluctuations in this system. The reasons behind the failure of the Ramakrishnan-Yussouff approximation and the suitability of using the two-dimensional Potts model as a testing ground for these theories are discussed.     

Row–column visibility graph approach to two-dimensional landscapes

A new concept, called the row–column visibility graph, is proposed to map two-dimensional landscapes to complex networks. A cluster coverage is introduced to describe the extensive property of node clusters on a Euclidean lattice. Graphs mapped from fractals generated with the probability redistribution model behave scale-free. They have pattern-induced hierarchical organizations and comparatively much more extensive structures. The scale-free exponent has a negative correlation with the Hurst exponent, however, there is no deterministic relation between them. Graphs for fractals generated with the midpoint displacement model are exponential networks. When the Hurst exponent is large enough(e.g., H >0.5), the degree distribution decays much more slowly, the average coverage becomes significant large, and the initially hierarchical structure at H < 0.5 is destroyed completely. Hence, the row–column visibility graph can be used to detect the pattern-related new characteristics of two-dimensional landscapes.     

Jointly-check iterative decoding algorithm for quantum sparse graph codes

<正>For quantum sparse graph codes with stabilizer formalism,the unavoidable girth-four cycles in their Tanner graphs greatly degrade the iterative decoding performance with a standard belief-propagation(BP) algorithm.In this paper, we present a jointly-check iterative algorithm suitable for decoding quantum sparse graph codes efficiently.Numerical simulations show that this modified method outperforms the standard BP algorithm with an obvious performance improvement.     

Hysteresis and first-order phase transition in the two-dimensional electron gas

We report experimental evidence of the first-order phase transitions in the two-dimensional electron gas formed in a gated wide GaAs/AlGaAs quantum well at even-integer quantum-Hall states. At the filling factor values of ν=2,4 and low temperatures, crossing of Landau levels through the application of the gate bias yields a suppression of the quantum-Hall-state excitation gap and hysteretical behaviour of the diagonal resistivity in up and down sweeps of the magnetic field. Detailed many-body calculations indicate the occurrence of a first-order phase transition and allow the determination of the exact properties of the electron ground states involved in the transition.     

On the bare pomeron graph in two-dimensional QCD

We present a detailed study of the bare pomeron graph in two-dimensional QCD in the 1/N_c approximation. The absence of a new singularity unrelated to quark parameters is derived. The “cylinder” graph is shown to induce renormalization of the vertex and intercept associated with quark andti-quark exchange in the vacuum channel.     

Interior and exterior sound field control using general two-dimensional first-order sources

Reproduction of a given sound field interior to a circular loudspeaker array without producing an undesirable exterior sound field is an unsolved problem over a broadband of frequencies. At low frequencies, by implementing the Kirchhoff-Helmholtz integral using a circular discrete array of line-source loudspeakers, a sound field can be recreated within the array and produce no exterior sound field, provided that the loudspeakers have azimuthal polar responses with variable first-order responses which are a combination of a two-dimensional (2D) monopole and a radially oriented 2D dipole. This paper examines the performance of circular discrete arrays of line-source loudspeakers which also include a tangential dipole, providing general variable-directivity responses in azimuth. It is shown that at low frequencies, the tangential dipoles are not required, but that near and above the Nyquist frequency, the tangential dipoles can both improve the interior accuracy and reduce the exterior sound field. The additional dipoles extend the useful range of the array by around an octave.     

Polymorphic and regular localized activity structures in a two-dimensional two-component reaction-diffusion lattice with complex threshold excitation

Space-time dynamics of the system modeling collective behaviour of electrically coupled nonlinear units is investigated. The dynamics of a local cell is described by the FitzHugh-Nagumo system with complex threshold excitation. It is shown that such a system supports formation of two distinct kinds of stable two-dimensional spatially localized moving structures without any external stabilizing actions. These are regular and polymorphic structures. The regular structures preserve their shape and velocity under propagation while the shape and velocity as well as other integral characteristics of polymorphic structures show rather complex temporal behaviour. Both kinds of structures represent novel sorts of spatially temporal patterns which have not been observed before in typical two-component reaction-diffusion type systems. It is demonstrated that there exist two types of regular structures: single and bound states and three types of polymorphic structures: periodic, quasiperiodic and even chaotic ones. The partition of the parameter plane into regions corresponding to the existence of these different types of structures is carried out. High multistability of regular structures is indicated. The interaction of regular structures is investigated. The correspondence between the structures and trajectories in multidimensional phase space associated with the system is given. Bifurcation mechanisms leading to the loss of stability of regular structures as well as to a transition from one type of polymorphic structure to another are indicated. The mechanisms of formation of regular and polymorphic structures are discussed.     

Magnetoresonances on a lasso graph

We consider a charged spinless quantum particle confined to a graph consisting of a loop to which a halfline lead is attached; this system is placed into a homogeneous magnetic field perpendicular to the loop plane. We derive the reflection amplitude and show that there is an infinite ladder of resonances; analyzing the resonance pole trajectories, we show that half of them turn into true embedded eigenvalues provided the flux through the loop is an integer or half-integer multiple of the flux unit hc/e. We also describe a general method to solve the scattering problem on graphs of which the present model is a simple particular case. Finally, we discuss ways in which a state localized initially at the loop decays.     

Relaxation of the topological T1 process in a two-dimensional foam

The so-called topological T1 process, during which bubbles within a foam exchange neighbours is studied. The Durand and Stone model (Phys. Rev. Lett., 97, 226101 (2006)) describes the growth of a film that is newly created during the T1 process, and also the evolution of surfactant concentration on this newly created film. Here some characteristic features of the Durand and Stone model (not previously described by Durand and Stone) are elucidated. In particular it is shown that the surfactant concentration on the newly created film is predicted to undergo an extremely rapid initial evolution, which occurs long before the film itself approaches anywhere near its final equilibrium length. Associated with this, the predicted length of the newly created film tends to exhibit an extremely rapid acceleration early on in its growth. An intermediate asymptotic analysis is developed to explain the above model predictions, by focussing on the regime when the film is several times larger than its initial length, but still several times smaller than its final length. A physical explanation is offered for these predictions in terms of slippage between material points instantaneously at the end of the newly created film, and the evolving location of the film endpoint itself: this slippage implies surfactant being transferred onto the newly created film from neighbouring films, overwhelming the amount of surfactant initially present. The implications of these predictions for the likely observations in an experimental study of the T1 process are discussed.     

Fabrication of two-dimensional photonic lattices in GaAs: the regular graphite structures

Two-dimensional photonic lattices have been fabricated in GaAs by using standard electron beam lithography and reactive ion etching techniques. In order to obtain absolute photonic band gaps at near-infrared frequencies, graphite structures which consist of parallel cylindrical rods of GaAs at the vertices of regular hexagons have been studied. Typically, for quarter micron diameter rods and half micron nearest spacing, an etching depth of more than one micron was obtained. Preliminary results from optical characterization are also presented.     

Analysis of multiple scattering from two-dimensional dielectric sea surface with iterative Kirchhoff approximation

<正>An iterative method in the Kirchhoff approximation is proposed for high frequency multiple electromagnetic scattering from two-dimensional dielectric sea surface.The multiple interaction of the scattering field is characterized with the corrected electromagnetic currents of the wind-driven sea surface.The actual surface currents are approximated with the iterative solution of the corrected currents.A newly developed sea spectrum,Elfouhaily spectrum,is utilized to build the sea surface model.The shadowing correction is improved by the Depth-Buffer algorithm.The validity of the iterative Kirchhoff approximation is verified by the agreement of backscattering coefficients with the measured data.     

The influence of inhomogeneous properties of a system on the percolation process in two-dimensional space

The percolation process in a two-dimensional inhomogeneous lattice is studied by the Monte Carlo method. The inhomogeneous lattice is simulated by a random distribution of inhomogeneities differing in size and number. The influence of inhomogeneities on the parameters (critical concentration, average number of sites in finite clusters, percolation probability, critical exponents, and fractal dimension of an infinite cluster) characterizing the percolation in the system is analyzed. It is demonstrated that all these parameters essentially depend on the linear size of inhomogeneities and their relative area.     

Finite-size effects on nucleation in a first-order phase transition

We discuss finite-size effects on homogeneous nucleation in first-order phase transitions. We study their implications for cosmological phase transitions and to the hadronization of a quark–gluon plasma generated in high-energy heavy ion collisions. Very general arguments allow us to show that the finite size of the early universe has virtually no relevance in the process of nucleation and in the growth of cosmological bubbles during the primordial quark–hadron and the electroweak phase transitions. In the case of high-energy heavy ion collisions, finite-size effects play an important role in the late-stage growth of hadronic bubbles.     

Relaxation time of the topological T1 process in a two-dimensional foam

The elementary topological T1 process in a two-dimensional foam corresponds to the flip of one film with respect to the geometrical constraints, and is a process by which the structure of an out-of-equilibrium foam evolves. We study both experimentally and theoretically the T1 dynamics in a dry two-dimensional foam. The dynamics is controlled by the surface viscoelastic properties of the films (surface shear plus dilatational viscosity, mu_{s}+kappa, and Gibbs elasticity ), and is independent of the shear viscosity of the bulk liquid. Moreover, the dynamics of the T1 process provides a tool for measuring the surface rheological properties: we obtained =32+/-8 mN/m and mu_{s}+kappa=1.3+/-0.7 mPa.m.s for sodium dodecyl sulfate, and =65+/-12 mN/m and mu_{s}+kappa=31+/-12 mPa.m.s for bovine serum albumin, in good agreement with literature values.