3,402 research outputs found
Ab initio and finite-temperature molecular dynamics studies of lattice resistance in tantalum
This manuscript explores the apparent discrepancy between experimental data
and theoretical calculations of the lattice resistance of bcc tantalum. We
present the first results for the temperature dependence of the Peierls stress
in this system and the first ab initio calculation of the zero-temperature
Peierls stress to employ periodic boundary conditions, which are those best
suited to the study of metallic systems at the electron-structure level. Our ab
initio value for the Peierls stress is over five times larger than current
extrapolations of experimental lattice resistance to zero-temperature. Although
we do find that the common techniques for such extrapolation indeed tend to
underestimate the zero-temperature limit, the amount of the underestimation
which we observe is only 10-20%, leaving open the possibility that mechanisms
other than the simple Peierls stress are important in controlling the process
of low temperature slip.Comment: 12 pages and 9 figure
Plasticity in current-driven vortex lattices
We present a theoretical analysis of recent experiments on current-driven
vortex dynamics in the Corbino disk geometry. This geometry introduces
controlled spatial gradients in the driving force and allows the study of the
onset of plasticity and tearing in clean vortex lattices. We describe plastic
slip in terms of the stress-driven unbinding of dislocation pairs, which in
turn contribute to the relaxation of the shear, yielding a nonlinear response.
The steady state density of free dislocations induced by the applied stress is
calculated as a function of the applied current and temperature. A criterion
for the onset of plasticity at a radial location in the disk yields a
temperature-dependent critical current that is in qualitative agreement with
experiments.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure
On the mass transport by a Burgers velocity field
The mass transport by a Burgers velocity field is investigated in the
framework of the theory of stochastic processes. Much attention is devoted to
the limit of vanishing viscosity (inviscid limit) describing the "adhesion
model" for the early stage of the evolution of the Universe. In particular the
mathematical foundations for the ansatz currently used in the literature to
compute the mass distribution in the inviscid limit are provided.Comment: 14 pages, Latex, revised version submitted to Physica
- …