The Loewner equation: maps and shapes

In the last few years, new insights have permitted unexpected progress in the study of fractal shapes in two dimensions. A new approach, called Schramm-Loewner evolution, or SLE, has arisen through analytic function theory and probability theory, and given a new way of calculating fractal shapes in critical phenomena, the theory of random walks, and of percolation. We present a non-technical discussion of this development aimed to attract the attention of condensed matter community to this fascinating subject

Finite Size Effects and Irrelevant Corrections to Scaling near the Integer Quantum Hall Transition

We present a numerical finite size scaling study of the localization length in long cylinders near the integer quantum Hall transition (IQHT) employing the Chalker-Coddington network model. Corrections to scaling that decay slowly with increasing system size make this analysis a very challenging numerical problem. In this work we develop a novel method of stability analysis that allows for a better estimate of error bars. Applying the new method we find consistent results when keeping second (or higher) order terms of the leading irrelevant scaling field. The knowledge of the associated (negative) irrelevant exponent $y$ is crucial for a precise determination of other critical exponents, including multifractal spectra of wave functions. We estimate $|y| > 0.4$, which is considerably larger than most recently reported values. Within this approach we obtain the localization length exponent $2.62 \pm 0.06$ confirming recent results. Our stability analysis has broad applicability to other observables at IQHT, as well as other critical points where corrections to scaling are present.Comment: 6 pages and 3 figures, plus supplemental material

Conformal invariance and multifractality at Anderson transitions in arbitrary dimensions

Electronic wave functions at Anderson transitions exhibit multifractal scaling characterized by a continuum of generalized multifractal exponents $\Delta_\gamma$ with vector indices $\gamma = (q_1,\ldots,q_n)$. In a field theory description of the transitions, there are corresponding multifractal operators $\mathcal{O}_\gamma$ with scaling dimensions $\Delta_\gamma$. Assuming conformal invariance and using the conformal bootstrap framework, we derive a constraint that implies that the generalized multifractal spectrum $\Delta_\gamma$ must be quadratic in all $q_i$ in any dimension $d > 2$. As several numerical studies have shown deviations from parabolicity, we argue that conformal invariance is likely absent at Anderson transitions in dimensions $d > 2$

Wave function correlations and the AC conductivity of disordered wires beyond the Mott-Berezinskii law

In one-dimensional disordered wires electronic states are localized at any energy. Correlations of the states at close positive energies and the AC conductivity $\sigma(\omega)$ in the limit of small frequency are described by the Mott-Berezinskii theory. We revisit the instanton approach to the statistics of wave functions and AC transport valid in the tails of the spectrum (large negative energies). Applying our recent results on functional determinants, we calculate exactly the integral over gaussian fluctuations around the exact two-instanton saddle point. We derive correlators of wave functions at different energies beyond the leading order in the energy difference. This allows us to calculate corrections to the Mott-Berezinskii law (the leading small frequency asymptotic behavior of $\sigma(\omega)$) which approximate the exact result in a broad range of $\omega$. We compare our results with the ones obtained for positive energies.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure

Statistics of Conductances and Subleading Corrections to Scaling near the Integer Quantum Hall Plateau Transition

We study the critical behavior near the integer quantum Hall plateau transition by focusing on the multifractal (MF) exponents $X_q$ describing the scaling of the disorder-average moments of the point contact conductance $T$ between two points of the sample, within the Chalker-Coddington network model. Past analytical work has related the exponents $X_q$ to the MF exponents $\Delta_q$ of the local density of states (LDOS). To verify this relation, we numerically determine the exponents $X_q$ with high accuracy. We thereby provide, at the same time, independent numerical results for the MF exponents $\Delta_q$ for the LDOS. The presence of subleading corrections to scaling makes such determination directly from scaling of the moments of $T$ virtually impossible. We overcome this difficulty by using two recent advances. First, we construct pure scaling operators for the moments of $T$ which have precisely the same leading scaling behavior, but no subleading contributions. Secondly, we take into account corrections to scaling from irrelevant (in the renormalization group sense) scaling fields by employing a numerical technique ("stability map") recently developed by us. We thereby numerically confirm the relation between the two sets of exponents, $X_q$ (point contact conductances) and $\Delta_q$ (LDOS), and also determine the leading irrelevant (corrections to scaling) exponent $y$ as well as other subleading exponents. Our results suggest a way to access multifractality in an experimental setting.Comment: 7 pages and 4 figures, plus Supplemental materia

Metal-insulator transition in a 2D system of chiral unitary class

We perform a numerical investigation of Anderson metal-insulator transition (MIT) in a twodimensional system of chiral symmetry class AIII by combining finite-size scaling, transport, density of states, and multifractality studies. The results are in agreement with the sigma-model renormalization-group theory, where MIT is driven by proliferation of vortices. We determine the phase diagram and find an apparent non-universality of several parameters on the critical line of MIT, which is consistent with the analytically predicted slow renormalization towards the ultimate fixed point of the MIT. The localization-length exponent $\nu$ is estimated as $\nu = 1.55 \pm 0.10$.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figure

Generalized multifractality at metal-insulator transitions and in metallic phases of 2D disordered systems

We study generalized multifractality characterizing fluctuations and correlations of eigenstates in disordered systems of symmetry classes AII, D, and DIII. Both metallic phases and Andersonlocalization transitions are considered. By using the non-linear sigma-model approach, we construct pure-scaling eigenfunction observables. The construction is verified by numerical simulations of appropriate microscopic models, which also yield numerical values of the corresponding exponents. In the metallic phases, the numerically obtained exponents satisfy Weyl symmetry relations as well as generalized parabolicity (proportionality to eigenvalues of the quadratic Casimir operator). At the same time, the generalized parabolicity is strongly violated at critical points of metal-insulator transitions, signalling violation of local conformal invariance. Moreover, in classes D and DIII, even the Weyl symmetry breaks down at critical points of metal-insulator transitions. This last feature is related with a peculiarity of the sigma-model manifolds in these symmetry classes: they consist of two disjoint components. Domain walls associated with these additional degrees of freedom are crucial for ensuring Anderson localization and, at the same time, lead to the violation of the Weyl symmetry.Comment: 36 pages, 14 figure