2,014 research outputs found
Microcanonical Approach to the Simulation of First-Order Phase Transitions
A generalization of the microcanonical ensemble suggests a simple strategy
for the simulation of first order phase transitions. At variance with
flat-histogram methods, there is no iterative parameters optimization, nor long
waits for tunneling between the ordered and the disordered phases. We test the
method in the standard benchmark: the Q-states Potts model (Q=10 in 2
dimensions and Q=4 in 3 dimensions), where we develop a cluster algorithm. We
obtain accurate results for systems with more than one million of spins,
outperforming flat-histogram methods that handle up to tens of thousands of
spins.Comment: 4 pages, 3 postscript figure
Mean-value identities as an opportunity for Monte Carlo error reduction
In the Monte Carlo simulation of both Lattice field-theories and of models of
Statistical Mechanics, identities verified by exact mean-values such as
Schwinger-Dyson equations, Guerra relations, Callen identities, etc., provide
well known and sensitive tests of thermalization bias as well as checks of
pseudo random number generators. We point out that they can be further
exploited as "control variates" to reduce statistical errors. The strategy is
general, very simple, and almost costless in CPU time. The method is
demonstrated in the two dimensional Ising model at criticality, where the CPU
gain factor lies between 2 and 4.Comment: 10 pages, 2 tables. References updated and typos correcte
The dynamical structure factor in disordered systems
We study the spectral width as a function of the external momentum for the
dynamical structure factor of a disordered harmonic solid, considered as a toy
model for supercooled liquids and glasses. Both in the context of single-link
coherent potential approximation and of a single-defect approximation, two
different regimes are clearly identified: if the density of states at zero
energy is zero, the Rayleigh law is recovered for small momentum. On the
contrary, if the disorder induces a non vanishing density of states at zero
energy, a linear behaviour is obtained. The dynamical structure factor is
numerically calculated in lattices as large as , and satisfactorily
agrees with the analytical computations.Comment: 7 pages plus 4 postscript figure
Lattice-Spin Mechanism in Colossal Magnetoresistant Manganites
We present a single-orbital double-exchange model, coupled with cooperative
phonons (the so called breathing-modes of the oxygen octahedra in manganites).
The model is studied with Monte Carlo simulations. For a finite range of doping
and coupling constants, a first-order Metal-Insulator phase transition is
found, that coincides with the Paramagnetic-Ferromagnetic phase transition. The
insulating state is due to the self-trapping of every carrier within an oxygen
octahedron distortion.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, ReVTeX macro, accepted for publication in PR
Optimized Monte Carlo Method for glasses
A new Monte Carlo algorithm is introduced for the simulation of supercooled
liquids and glass formers, and tested in two model glasses. The algorithm is
shown to thermalize well below the Mode Coupling temperature and to outperform
other optimized Monte Carlo methods. Using the algorithm, we obtain finite size
effects in the specific heat. This effect points to the existence of a large
correlation length measurable in equal time correlation functions.Comment: Proceedings of "X International workshop on Disordered Systems" held
in Molveno (Italy), March 200
Finite size effects in the specific heat of glass-formers
We report clear finite size effects in the specific heat and in the
relaxation times of a model glass former at temperatures considerably smaller
than the Mode Coupling transition. A crucial ingredient to reach this result is
a new Monte Carlo algorithm which allows us to reduce the relaxation time by
two order of magnitudes. These effects signal the existence of a large
correlation length in static quantities.Comment: Proceeding of "3rd International Workshop on Complex Systems". Sendai
(Japan). To appear on AIP Conference serie
Rejuvenation and Memory in model Spin Glasses in 3 and 4 dimensions
We numerically study aging for the Edwards-Anderson Model in 3 and 4
dimensions using different temperature-change protocols. In D=3, time scales a
thousand times larger than in previous work are reached with the SUE machine.
Deviations from cumulative aging are observed in the non monotonic time
behavior of the coherence length. Memory and rejuvenation effects are found in
a temperature-cycle protocol, revealed by vanishing effective waiting times.
Similar effects are reported for the D=3$site-diluted ferromagnetic Ising model
(without chaos). However, rejuvenation is reduced if off-equilibrium
corrections to the fluctuation-dissipation theorem are considered. Memory and
rejuvenation are quantitatively describable in terms of the growth regime of
the spin-glass coherence length.Comment: Extended protocols. Accepted in Phys. Rev. B. 10 postscript figure
On the critical behavior of the specific heat in glass-formers
We show numeric evidence that, at low enough temperatures, the potential
energy density of a glass-forming liquid fluctuates over length scales much
larger than the interaction range. We focus on the behavior of translationally
invariant quantities. The growing correlation length is unveiled by studying
the Finite Size effects. In the thermodynamic limit, the specific heat and the
relaxation time diverge as a power law. Both features point towards the
existence of a critical point in the metastable supercooled liquid phase.Comment: Version to be published in Phys. Rev.
Vibrations in glasses and Euclidean Random Matrix theory
We study numerically and analytically a simple off-lattice model of scalar
harmonic vibrations by means of Euclidean random matrix theory. Since the
spectrum of this model shares the most puzzling spectral features with the
high-frequency domain of glasses (non-Rayleigh broadening of the Brillouin
peak, boson peak and secondary peak), the Euclidean random matrix theory
provide a single and fairly simple theoretical framework to their explanation.Comment: 11 pages, 7 postscript figures, Proceedings of Statphys 2
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