1,893 research outputs found
Dynamics of a large spin with weak dissipation
We investigate the generalization of the spin-boson model to arbitrary spin
size. The Born-Markov approximation is employed to derive a master equation in
the regime of small coupling strengths to the environment. For spin one half,
the master equation transforms into a set of Bloch equations, the solution of
which is in good agreement with results of the spin-boson model for weak ohmic
dissipation. For larger spins, we find a superradiance-like behavior known from
the Dicke model. The influence of the nonresonant bosons of the dissipative
environment can lead to the formation of a beat pattern in the dynamics of the
-component of the spin. The beat frequency is approximately proportional to
the cutoff of the spectral function.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Chemical Physics Special Issue on
the Spin-Boson Problem, ed. by H. Grabert and A. Nitza
Self-consistency and Symmetry in d-dimensions
Bethe approximation is shown to violate Bravais lattices translational
invariance. A new scheme is then presented which goes over the one-site Weiss
model yet preserving initial lattice symmetry. A mapping to a one-dimensional
finite closed chain in an external field is obtained. Lattice topology
determines the chain size. Using recent results in percolation, lattice
connectivity between chains is argued to be where is the
coordination number and is the space dimension. A new self-consistent
mean-field equation of state is derived. Critical temperatures are thus
calculated for a large variety of lattices and dimensions. Results are within a
few percent of exact estimates. Moreover onset of phase transitions is found to
occur in the range . For the Ising hypercube it yields the Golden
number limit .Comment: 16 pages, latex, Phys. Rev. B (in press
A network model to investigate structural and electrical properties of proteins
One of the main trend in to date research and development is the
miniaturization of electronic devices. In this perspective, integrated
nanodevices based on proteins or biomolecules are attracting a major interest.
In fact, it has been shown that proteins like bacteriorhodopsin and azurin,
manifest electrical properties which are promising for the development of
active components in the field of molecular electronics. Here we focus on two
relevant kinds of proteins: The bovine rhodopsin, prototype of GPCR protein,
and the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE), whose inhibition is one of the most
qualified treatments of Alzheimer disease. Both these proteins exert their
functioning starting with a conformational change of their native structure.
Our guess is that such a change should be accompanied with a detectable
variation of their electrical properties. To investigate this conjecture, we
present an impedance network model of proteins, able to estimate the different
electrical response associated with the different configurations. The model
resolution of the electrical response is found able to monitor the structure
and the conformational change of the given protein. In this respect, rhodopsin
exhibits a better differential response than AChE. This result gives room to
different interpretations of the degree of conformational change and in
particular supports a recent hypothesis on the existence of a mixed state
already in the native configuration of the protein.Comment: 25 pages, 12 figure
Local Versus Global Thermal States: Correlations and the Existence of Local Temperatures
We consider a quantum system consisting of a regular chain of elementary
subsystems with nearest neighbor interactions and assume that the total system
is in a canonical state with temperature . We analyze under what condition
the state factors into a product of canonical density matrices with respect to
groups of subsystems each, and when these groups have the same temperature
. While in classical mechanics the validity of this procedure only depends
on the size of the groups , in quantum mechanics the minimum group size
also depends on the temperature ! As examples, we apply our
analysis to a harmonic chain and different types of Ising spin chains. We
discuss various features that show up due to the characteristics of the models
considered. For the harmonic chain, which successfully describes thermal
properties of insulating solids, our approach gives a first quantitative
estimate of the minimal length scale on which temperature can exist: This
length scale is found to be constant for temperatures above the Debye
temperature and proportional to below.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figures, discussion of results extended, accepted for
publication in Phys. Rev.
Quantum Griffiths effects and smeared phase transitions in metals: theory and experiment
In this paper, we review theoretical and experimental research on rare region
effects at quantum phase transitions in disordered itinerant electron systems.
After summarizing a few basic concepts about phase transitions in the presence
of quenched randomness, we introduce the idea of rare regions and discuss their
importance. We then analyze in detail the different phenomena that can arise at
magnetic quantum phase transitions in disordered metals, including quantum
Griffiths singularities, smeared phase transitions, and cluster-glass
formation. For each scenario, we discuss the resulting phase diagram and
summarize the behavior of various observables. We then review several recent
experiments that provide examples of these rare region phenomena. We conclude
by discussing limitations of current approaches and open questions.Comment: 31 pages, 7 eps figures included, v2: discussion of the dissipative
Ising chain fixed, references added, v3: final version as publishe
The Bose Metal: gauge field fluctuations and scaling for field tuned quantum phase transitions
In this paper, we extend our previous discussion of the Bose metal to the
field tuned case. We point out that the recent observation of the metallic
state as an intermediate phase between the superconductor and the insulator in
the field tuned experiments on MoGe films is in perfect consistency with the
Bose metal scenario. We establish a connection between general dissipation
models and gauge field fluctuations and apply this to a discussion of scaling
across the quantum phase boundaries of the Bose metallic state. Interestingly,
we find that the Bose metal scenario implies a possible {\em two} parameter
scaling for resistivity across the Bose metal-insulator transition, which is
remarkably consistent with the MoGe data. Scaling at the superconductor-metal
transition is also proposed, and a phenomenolgical model for the metallic state
is discussed. The effective action of the Bose metal state is described and its
low energy excitation spectrum is found to be .Comment: 15 pages, 1 figur
Registered reports: an early example and analysis
© 2019 Wiseman et al.The recent ‘replication crisis’ in psychology has focused attention on ways of increasing methodological rigor within the behavioral sciences. Part of this work has involved promoting ‘Registered Reports’, wherein journals peer review papers prior to data collection and publication. Although this approach is usually seen as a relatively recent development, we note that a prototype of this publishing model was initiated in the mid-1970s by parapsychologist Martin Johnson in the European Journal of Parapsychology (EJP). A retrospective and observational comparison of Registered and non-Registered Reports published in the EJP during a seventeen-year period provides circumstantial evidence to suggest that the approach helped to reduce questionable research practices. This paper aims both to bring Johnson’s pioneering work to a wider audience, and to investigate the positive role that Registered Reports may play in helping to promote higher methodological and statistical standards.Peer reviewe
Characterization of the Local Density of States Fluctuations near the Integer Quantum Hall Transition in a Quantum Dot Array
We present a calculation for the second moment of the local density of states
in a model of a two-dimensional quantum dot array near the quantum Hall
transition. The quantum dot array model is a realistic adaptation of the
lattice model for the quantum Hall transition in the two-dimensional electron
gas in an external magnetic field proposed by Ludwig, Fisher, Shankar and
Grinstein. We make use of a Dirac fermion representation for the Green
functions in the presence of fluctuations for the quantum dot energy levels. A
saddle-point approximation yields non-perturbative results for the first and
second moments of the local density of states, showing interesting fluctuation
behaviour near the quantum Hall transition. To our knowledge we discuss here
one of the first analytic characterizations of chaotic behaviour for a
two-dimensional mesoscopic structure. The connection with possible experimental
investigations of the local density of states in the quantum dot array
structures (by means of NMR Knight-shift or single-electron-tunneling
techniques) and our work is also established.Comment: 11 LaTeX pages, 1 postscript figure, to appear in Phys.Rev.
Simple geometrical interpretation of the linear character for the Zeno-line and the rectilinear diameter
The unified geometrical interpretation of the linear character of the
Zeno-line (unit compressibility line Z=1) and the rectilinear diameter is
proposed. We show that recent findings about the properties of the Zeno-line
and striking correlation with the rectilinear diameter line as well as other
empirical relations can be naturally considered as the consequences of the
projective isomorphism between the real molecular fluids and the lattice gas
(Ising) model.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure
More is the Same; Phase Transitions and Mean Field Theories
This paper looks at the early theory of phase transitions. It considers a
group of related concepts derived from condensed matter and statistical
physics. The key technical ideas here go under the names of "singularity",
"order parameter", "mean field theory", and "variational method".
In a less technical vein, the question here is how can matter, ordinary
matter, support a diversity of forms. We see this diversity each time we
observe ice in contact with liquid water or see water vapor, "steam", come up
from a pot of heated water. Different phases can be qualitatively different in
that walking on ice is well within human capacity, but walking on liquid water
is proverbially forbidden to ordinary humans. These differences have been
apparent to humankind for millennia, but only brought within the domain of
scientific understanding since the 1880s.
A phase transition is a change from one behavior to another. A first order
phase transition involves a discontinuous jump in a some statistical variable
of the system. The discontinuous property is called the order parameter. Each
phase transitions has its own order parameter that range over a tremendous
variety of physical properties. These properties include the density of a
liquid gas transition, the magnetization in a ferromagnet, the size of a
connected cluster in a percolation transition, and a condensate wave function
in a superfluid or superconductor. A continuous transition occurs when that
jump approaches zero. This note is about statistical mechanics and the
development of mean field theory as a basis for a partial understanding of this
phenomenon.Comment: 25 pages, 6 figure
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