Synchronization and directed percolation in coupled map lattices

We study a synchronization mechanism, based on one-way coupling of all-or-nothing type, applied to coupled map lattices with several different local rules. By analyzing the metric and the topological distance between the two systems, we found two different regimes: a strong chaos phase in which the transition has a directed percolation character and a weak chaos phase in which the synchronization transition occurs abruptly. We are able to derive some analytical approximations for the location of the transition point and the critical properties of the system. We propose to use the characteristics of this transition as indicators of the spatial propagation of chaoticity.Comment: 12 pages + 12 figure

Secure exchange of information by synchronization of neural networks

A connection between the theory of neural networks and cryptography is presented. A new phenomenon, namely synchronization of neural networks is leading to a new method of exchange of secret messages. Numerical simulations show that two artificial networks being trained by Hebbian learning rule on their mutual outputs develop an antiparallel state of their synaptic weights. The synchronized weights are used to construct an ephemeral key exchange protocol for a secure transmission of secret data. It is shown that an opponent who knows the protocol and all details of any transmission of the data has no chance to decrypt the secret message, since tracking the weights is a hard problem compared to synchronization. The complexity of the generation of the secure channel is linear with the size of the network.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

On the Use of Finite-Size Scaling to Measure Spin-Glass Exponents

Finite-size scaling (FSS) is a standard technique for measuring scaling exponents in spin glasses. Here we present a critique of this approach, emphasizing the need for all length scales to be large compared to microscopic scales. In particular we show that the replacement, in FSS analyses, of the correlation length by its asymptotic scaling form can lead to apparently good scaling collapses with the wrong values of the scaling exponents.Comment: RevTeX, 5 page

A lattice gas model of II-VI(001) semiconductor surfaces

We introduce an anisotropic two-dimensional lattice gas model of metal terminated II-IV(001) seminconductor surfaces. Important properties of this class of materials are represented by effective NN and NNN interactions, which result in the competition of two vacancy structures on the surface. We demonstrate that the experimentally observed c(2x2)-(2x1) transition of the CdTe(001) surface can be understood as a phase transition in thermal equilbrium. The model is studied by means of transfer matrix and Monte Carlo techniques. The analysis shows that the small energy difference of the competing reconstructions determines to a large extent the nature of the different phases. Possible implications for further experimental research are discussed.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure

Surface Shape and Local Critical Behaviour in Two-Dimensional Directed Percolation

Two-dimensional directed site percolation is studied in systems directed along the x-axis and limited by a free surface at y=\pm Cx^k. Scaling considerations show that the surface is a relevant perturbation to the local critical behaviour when k<1/z where z=\nu_\parallel/\nu is the dynamical exponent. The tip-to-bulk order parameter correlation function is calculated in the mean-field approximation. The tip percolation probability and the fractal dimensions of critical clusters are obtained through Monte-Carlo simulations. The tip order parameter has a nonuniversal, C-dependent, scaling dimension in the marginal case, k=1/z, and displays a stretched exponential behaviour when the perturbation is relevant. The k-dependence of the fractal dimensions in the relevant case is in agreement with the results of a blob picture approach.Comment: 13 pages, Plain TeX file, epsf, 6 postscript-figures, minor correction

Towards Classification of Phase Transitions in Reaction--Diffusion Models

Equilibrium phase transitions are associated with rearrangements of minima of a (Lagrangian) potential. Treatment of non-equilibrium systems requires doubling of degrees of freedom, which may be often interpreted as a transition from the ``coordinate'' to the ``phase'' space representation. As a result, one has to deal with the Hamiltonian formulation of the field theory instead of the Lagrangian one. We suggest a classification scheme of phase transitions in reaction-diffusion models based on the topology of the phase portraits of corresponding Hamiltonians. In models with an absorbing state such a topology is fully determined by intersecting curves of zero ``energy''. We identify four families of topologically distinct classes of phase portraits stable upon RG transformations.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figure

Crossover Scaling Functions in One Dimensional Dynamic Growth Models

The crossover from Edwards-Wilkinson ($s=0$) to KPZ ($s>0$) type growth is studied for the BCSOS model. We calculate the exact numerical values for the $k=0$ and $2\pi/N$ massgap for $N\leq 18$ using the master equation. We predict the structure of the crossover scaling function and confirm numerically that $m_0\simeq 4 (\pi/N)^2 [1+3u^2(s) N/(2\pi^2)]^{0.5}$ and $m_1\simeq 2 (\pi/N)^2 [1+ u^2(s) N/\pi^2]^{0.5}$, with $u(1)=1.03596967$. KPZ type growth is equivalent to a phase transition in meso-scopic metallic rings where attractive interactions destroy the persistent current; and to endpoints of facet-ridges in equilibrium crystal shapes.Comment: 11 pages, TeX, figures upon reques