The friction of tilted skates on ice

Theoretical Physic

Helicity modulus in the two-dimensional Hubbard model

The helicity modulus, which is the stiffness associated with a twisted order parameter, for the two-dimensional Hubbard model is calculated for the equivalent cases of (i) attractive on-site interaction (negative U) with arbitrary strength, arbitrary electron density, and zero magnetic field and (ii) repulsive on-site interaction (positive U) with arbitrary strength, at half-filling and in an arbitrary magnetic field. An explicit formula for the helicity modulus is derived using the Bogoliubov-Hartree-Fock approximation. An improved value for the helicity modulus is obtained by performing variational Monte Carlo calculations using a Gutzwiller projected trial wave function. To within a small correction term the helicity modulus is found to be given by -1/8 the average kinetic energy. The variational Monte Carlo calculation is found to increase the value of the helicity modulus by a small amount (about 5% for intermediate values of the interaction strength) compared to the results from the Bogoliubov-Hartree-Fock approximation. In the case of attractive interaction, from a comparison with the Kosterlitz-Thouless relation between critical temperature and helicity modulus, the critical temperature for a Kosterlitz-Thouless transition is calculated and a phase diagram is obtained. An optimal critical temperature is found for an intermediate value of U. We discuss connections of our results with results in the literature on the Hubbard model using the random-phase approximation and quantum Monte Carlo calculations.Theoretical Physic

Conductivity of the classical two-dimensional electron gas

We discuss the applicability of the Boltzmann equation to the classical two-dimensional electron gas. We show that in the presence of both the electron-impurity and electron-electron scattering the Boltzmann equation can be inapplicable and the correct result for conductivity can be different from the one obtained from the kinetic equation by a logarithmically large factor.Comment: Revtex, 3 page

Thermodynamic instabilities in one dimensional particle lattices: a finite-size scaling approach

One-dimensional thermodynamic instabilities are phase transitions not prohibited by Landau's argument, because the energy of the domain wall (DW) which separates the two phases is infinite. Whether they actually occur in a given system of particles must be demonstrated on a case-by-case basis by examining the (non-) analyticity properties of the corresponding transfer integral (TI) equation. The present note deals with the generic Peyrard-Bishop model of DNA denaturation. In the absence of exact statements about the spectrum of the singular TI equation, I use Gauss-Hermite quadratures to achieve a single-parameter-controlled approach to rounding effects; this allows me to employ finite-size scaling concepts in order to demonstrate that a phase transition occurs and to derive the critical exponents.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, subm. to Phys. Rev.

Stochastic lattice models for the dynamics of linear polymers

Linear polymers are represented as chains of hopping reptons and their motion is described as a stochastic process on a lattice. This admittedly crude approximation still catches essential physics of polymer motion, i.e. the universal properties as function of polymer length. More than the static properties, the dynamics depends on the rules of motion. Small changes in the hopping probabilities can result in different universal behavior. In particular the cross-over between Rouse dynamics and reptation is controlled by the types and strength of the hoppings that are allowed. The properties are analyzed using a calculational scheme based on an analogy with one-dimensional spin systems. It leads to accurate data for intermediately long polymers. These are extrapolated to arbitrarily long polymers, by means of finite-size-scaling analysis. Exponents and cross-over functions for the renewal time and the diffusion coefficient are discussed for various types of motion.Comment: 60 pages, 19 figure

Diffusion in a generalized Rubinstein-Duke model of electrophoresis with kinematic disorder

Using a generalized Rubinstein-Duke model we prove rigorously that kinematic disorder leaves the prediction of standard reptation theory for the scaling of the diffusion constant in the limit for long polymer chains $D \propto L^{-2}$ unaffected. Based on an analytical calculation as well as Monte Carlo simulations we predict kinematic disorder to affect the center of mass diffusion constant of an entangled polymer in the limit for long chains by the same factor as single particle diffusion in a random barrier model.Comment: 29 pages, 3 figures, submitted to PR

Nonequilibrium wetting

When a nonequilibrium growing interface in the presence of a wall is considered a nonequilibrium wetting transition may take place. This transition can be studied trough Langevin equations or discrete growth models. In the first case, the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation, which defines a very robust universality class for nonequilibrium moving interfaces, with a soft-wall potential is considered. While in the second, microscopic models, in the corresponding universality class, with evaporation and deposition of particles in the presence of hard-wall are studied. Equilibrium wetting is related to a particular case of the problem, it corresponds to the Edwards-Wilkinson equation with a potential in the continuum approach or to the fulfillment of detailed balance in the microscopic models. In this review we present the analytical and numerical methods used to investigate the problem and the very rich behavior that is observed with them.Comment: Review, 36 pages, 16 figure

The Einstein relation in the Rubinstein-Duke reptation model

The Einstein relation between the friction coefficient and the diffusion coefficient is proven for the Rubinstein-Duke reptation model