Disorder-induced quantum-Griffiths-like features from a non-conventional renormalization group analysis near four dimensions

We investigate the role played by symmetry conserving quenched disorder on quantum criticality of a variety of d-dimensional systems with a continuous symmetry order parameter. We employ a non-standard procedure which combines a preliminary reduction to an effective classical random problem and a successive conventional renormalization group treatment. Solving the effective flow equations to first order in ε=4−d and then restoring the original coupling parameters, for d<4 we find a quantum critical point scenario exhibiting unusual features, which remind us of some predictions of the quantum Griffiths phase model.     

Quantum Phase Transitions in Matrix Product States

We present a new general and much simpler scheme to construct various quantum phase transitions （Q, PTs） in spin chain systems with matrix product ground states. By use of the scheme we take into account one kind of matrix product state （MPS） OPT and provide a concrete model. We also study the properties of the concrete example and show that a kind of Q, PT appears, accompanied by the appearance of the discontinuity of the parity absent block physical observable, diverging correlation length only for the parity absent block operator, and other properties which are that the fixed point of the transition point is an isolated intermediate-coupling fixed point of renormalization flow and the entanglement entropy of a half-infinite chain is discontinuous.     

The field theory approach to percolation processes

We review the field theory approach to percolation processes. Specifically, we focus on the so-called simple and general epidemic processes that display continuous non-equilibrium active to absorbing state phase transitions whose asymptotic features are governed, respectively, by the directed (DP) and dynamic isotropic percolation (dIP) universality classes. We discuss the construction of a field theory representation for these Markovian stochastic processes based on fundamental phenomenological considerations, as well as from a specific microscopic reaction-diffusion model realization. Subsequently we explain how dynamic renormalization group (RG) methods can be applied to obtain the universal properties near the critical point in an expansion about the upper critical dimensions d_c = 4 (DP) and 6 (dIP). We provide a detailed overview of results for critical exponents, scaling functions, crossover phenomena, finite-size scaling, and also briefly comment on the influence of long-range spreading, the presence of a boundary, multispecies generalizations, coupling of the order parameter to other conserved modes, and quenched disorder.     

Phase diagram of the two-dimensional ferromagnetic three-color Ashkin-Teller model

In the present work we study the critical properties of the ferromagnetic three-color Ashkin-Teller model (3AT) by means of a Migdal-Kadanoff renormalization group approach on a diamond-like hierarchical lattice. The analysis of the fixed points and flux diagram of the recursion relations is used to determine the corresponding phase diagram (including its symmetry properties) and critical exponents. Our numerical results show the presence of four universality classes, three of them are associated to the Potts model with q=2, 4 and 6 states. Finally, a connection between our findings and some known results from the literature is presented.     

Non-equilibrium behavior at a liquid-gas critical point

Second-order phase transitions in a non-equilibrium liquid-gas model with reversible mode couplings, i.e., model H for binary-fluid critical dynamics, are studied using dynamic field theory and the renormalization group. The system is driven out of equilibrium either by considering different values for the noise strengths in the Langevin equations describing the evolution of the dynamic variables (effectively placing these at different temperatures), or more generally by allowing for anisotropic noise strengths, i.e., by constraining the dynamics to be at different temperatures in d _|| - and d _⊥-dimensional subspaces, respectively. In the first, isotropic case, we find one infrared-stable and one unstable renormalization group fixed point. At the stable fixed point, detailed balance is dynamically restored, with the two noise strengths becoming asymptotically equal. The ensuing critical behavior is that of the standard equilibrium model H. At the novel unstable fixed point, the temperature ratio for the dynamic variables is renormalized to infinity, resulting in an effective decoupling between the two modes. We compute the critical exponents at this new fixed point to one-loop order. For model H with spatially anisotropic noise, we observe a critical softening only in the d _⊥-dimensional sector in wave vector space with lower noise temperature. The ensuing effective two-temperature model H does not have any stable fixed point in any physical dimension, at least to one-loop order. We obtain formal expressions for the novel critical exponents in a double expansion about the upper critical dimension d _c = 4 - d _|| and with respect to d _|| , i.e., about the equilibrium theory. Received 4 April 2002 Published online 13 August 2002     

Directed force chain networks and stress response in static granular materials

A theory of stress fields in two-dimensional granular materials based on directed force chain networks is presented. A general Boltzmann equation for the densities of force chains in different directions is proposed and a complete solution is obtained for a special case in which chains lie along a discrete set of directions. The analysis and results demonstrate the necessity of including nonlinear terms in the Boltzmann equation. A line of nontrivial fixed-point solutions is shown to govern the properties of large systems. In the vicinity of a generic fixed point, the response to a localized load shows a crossover from a single, centered peak at intermediate depths to two propagating peaks at large depths that broaden diffusively. Received 16 January 2002     

Quantum phase diagram of a spin-1/2 antiferromagnetic chain with magnetic impurity

We present the renormalization group (RG) flow diagram of a spin-half antiferromagnetic chain with magnetic impurity and one altered link. In this two parameters (competing interactions) model, one can find the complex phase diagram with many interesting fixed points. There is no evidence of intermediate stable fixed point in weak coupling phase. It may arise at the strong coupling phase. Depending on the strength of couplings the phases correspond either to a decoupled spin with Curie law behavior or a logarithmically diverging impurity susceptibility as in the two channel Kondo problem.     

On the number of intersections of self-repelling polymer chains

We give a detailed analysis of the intersection properties of polymers. Using the renormalization group we provide a full crossover function for the dependence of the number of intersections in a single polymer on chain length and excluded volume strength. We compare our results with Monte-Carlo data and with exact calculations for a random walk, finding good agreement in all respects. Restricting to the vicinity of the eight ternary fixed points we also calculate the number of intersections between two chains placed at a fixed distance, including the two halves of a block-copolymer. The analysis of these systems confirms the interpretation of the different contributions to the number of intersections in a single chain. Due to the highly nontrivial character of the correlations in a polymer chain the correction exponents in both cases however are different. None of the results can be extracted from any Flory-type estimate. Received: 1 April 1997 / Revised: 24 October 1997 / Accepted: 29 January 1998     

Laser-irradiated thermodynamic behaviors of spallation and recombination at solid-state interface

A microscopic insight of interfacial spallation and recombination behaviors at multilayer thin-film interface induced by incident femtosecond pulsed laser is presented in this paper. Such two different aforementioned behaviors are investigated via the thermodynamic trajectories obtained by using standard Lennard-Jones (L-J) molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Based on the simulation results, the interfacial damages of multilayer thin film are dominated by a critical threshold that induces an extraordinary expansive dynamics and phase transitions leading to the structural softened and tensile spallation at interface. The critical damage threshold is evaluated at around 8.5 J/m² which governs the possible occurrence of two different regimes, i.e. interfacial spallaiton and recombination. In interfacial damage region, quasi-isothermal thermodynamic trajectories can be observed after the interfacial spallation occurs. Moreover, the result of thermodynamic trajectories analyses indicates that, the relaxation of pressure wave may cause the over-heated interfacial zone to reduce volumetric density, thus leading to structural softness and even weaken interfacial structural strength. The crucial effect leading to the phenomenon of low tension spallation is identified.     

外场存在时界面生长的重整化群研究

用重整化群方法分析了有外场存在时的界面生长行为,得到了非平庸的稳定的固定点,固定点粗糙指数x和动力学标度指数z。结果表明,外场趋于使生长表面平滑并且不破坏伽利略不变性。 关键词：     

A higher symmetry in the sol-gel transition at the consolute point

By methods of renormalized field theory we show that generically the multicritical behavior of the sol-gel transition at the consolute point is dominated by a fixed point symmetry which is higher than the symmetry of the original Hamiltonian. In general, this leads to Ising-like behavior of all fluctuations. We show in particular that the Fisher exponent _P of the percolation field coincides with the corresponding exponent _I of Ising fields. We perform a preliminary stability analysis which indicates that the higher symmetry is not broken in the physical 3-dimensional case.Dedicated to Professor Herbert Wagner on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

Exact renormalization group study of fermionic theories

The exact renormalization group approach (ERG) is developed for the case of pure fermionic theories by deriving a Grassmann version of the ERG equation and applying it to the study of fixed point solutions and critical exponents of the two-dimensional chiral Gross-Neveu model. An approximation based on the derivative expansion and a further truncation in the number of fields is used. Two solutions are obtained analytically in the limit N → ∞, with N being the number of fermionic species. For finite N some fixed point solutions, with their anomalous dimensions and critical exponents, are computed numerically. The issue of separation of physical results from the numerous spurious ones is discussed. We argue that one of the solutions we find can be identified with that of Dashen and Frishman, whereas the others seem to be new ones.     

Incoherent scatterer in a Luttinger liquid: a new paradigmatic limit

We address the problem of a Luttinger liquid with a scatterer that allows for both coherent and incoherent scattering channels. The asymptotic behavior at zero temperature is governed by a new stable fixed point: A Goldstone mode dominates the low energy dynamics, leading to universal behavior. This limit is marked by equal probabilities for forward and backward scattering. Notwithstanding this nontrivial scattering pattern, we find that the shot noise as well as cross-current correlations vanish. We thus present a paradigmatic picture of an impurity in the Luttinger model, alternative to the Kane-Fisher picture.     

Investigation of the Potts Model on Triangular Lattices by the Second Renormalization of Tensor Network States

We employ the second renormalization group method of tensor-network states to investigate thermodynamic properties of the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic Potts model on triangular lattices. From the temperature dependence of the internal energy and the specific heat, both the critical temperatures and critical exponents are evaluated. For the q = 3 antiferromagnetic Potts model, the critical temperature is found to be Tc = 0.627163±0.000003, which is at least one order of magnitude more accurate than that obtained by other methods.     

Measurement of Binding Force between Microtubule-Associated Protein and Microtubule

Microtubule-associated proteins （MAPs） are important proteins in cells. They can regulate the organization, dynamics and function of microtubules. We measure the binding force between microtubule and a new plant MAP, i.e. AtMAP65-1, by dual-optical tweezers. The force is obtained to be 14.6 ± 3.5 pN from the data statistics and analysis. This force measurement is helpful to understand the function and mechanism of MAPs from the mechanical point of view and lays the groundwork for future measurements of the mechanical properties of other biological macro-molecules.     

Multicritical dynamical phase diagrams of the kinetic Blume–Emery–Griffiths model with repulsive biquadratic coupling in an oscillating field

We study, within a mean-field approach, the stationary states of the kinetic Blume–Emery–Griffiths model with repulsive biquadratic coupling under the presence of a time-varying (sinusoidal) magnetic field. We employ the Glauber-type stochastic dynamics to construct set of dynamic equations of motion. The behavior of the time dependence of the order parameters and the behavior of the average order parameters in a period, which is also called the dynamic order parameters, as functions of the reduced temperature are investigated. The dynamic phase transition points are calculated and phase diagrams are presented in the reduced magnetic field amplitude and reduced temperature plane. The dynamical transition from one regime to the other can be of first- or second order depending on the region in the phase diagram. According to the values of the crystal field interaction or single-ion anisotropy constant and biquadratic exchange constant, we find 20 fundamental types of phase diagrams which exhibit many dynamic critical points, such as tricritical points, zero-temperature critical points, double critical end points, critical end point, triple point and multicritical point. Moreover, besides a disordered and ordered phases, seven coexistence phase regions exist in the system.     

Dynamical diversity and metastability in a hindered granular column near jamming

Granular media jam into a panoply of metastable states. The way in which these states are achieved depends on the nature of local and global constraints on grains; here we investigate this issue by means of a non-equilibrium stochastic model of a hindered granular column near its jamming limit. Grains feel the constraints of grains above and below them differently, depending on their position. A rich phase diagram with four dynamical phases (ballistic, activated, logarithmic and glassy) is revealed. The statistics of the jamming time and of the metastable states reached as attractors of the zero-temperature dynamics is investigated in each of these phases. Of particular interest is the glassy phase, where intermittency and a strong deviation from Edwards' flatness are manifest.     

自洽的关联渗流问题

本文用实空间重整化群方法处理有粹灭关联的渗流系统。我们选择最近邻短程序α为关联参量。对于关联的几率我们做了自洽的处理。在二维我们的结果表明只有一个非平庸的物理不动点,关联在无序渗流点附近是个无用参量,这与其他的关联渗流模型一致。 关键词：     

Multicritical behavior of the two-field Ginzburg-Landau model coupled to a gauge field

In this paper, we study the multicritical behavior of the Ginzburg-Landau model in a O(n₁)⊕O(n₂)-symmetric version containing (n₁/2+n₂/2)-complex order parameters coupled to a gauge field. We develop the RG analysis at a one-loop approximation in the context of the ?-expansion approach. The beta functions are obtained, and in the case of equal couplings between the two scalar fields and the gauge field and n₁=n₂=n/2, the infrared stability of the fixed points is discussed. It is found that the charged infrared-stable fixed point exists for n>393.2. Calculations of the relevant critical exponents are also carried out.