Large deviations for cluster size distributions in a continuous classical many-body system

An interesting problem in statistical physics is the condensation of classical particles in droplets or clusters when the pair-interaction is given by a stable Lennard-Jones-type potential. We study two aspects of this problem. We start by deriving a large deviations principle for the cluster size distribution for any inverse temperature $\beta\in (0,\infty)$ and particle density $\rho\in(0,\rho_{\mathrm{cp}})$ in the thermodynamic limit. Here $\rho_{\mathrm{cp}}>0$ is the close packing density. While in general the rate function is an abstract object, our second main result is the $\Gamma$-convergence of the rate function toward an explicit limiting rate function in the low-temperature dilute limit $\beta\to \infty$, $\rho\downarrow0$ such that $-\beta^{-1}\log\rho\to\nu$ for some $\nu\in(0,\infty)$. The limiting rate function and its minimisers appeared in recent work, where the temperature and the particle density were coupled with the particle number. In the decoupled limit considered here, we prove that just one cluster size is dominant, depending on the parameter $\nu$. Under additional assumptions on the potential, the $\Gamma$-convergence along curves can be strengthened to uniform bounds, valid in a low-temperature, low-density rectangle.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/14-AAP1014 the Annals of Applied Probability (http://www.imstat.org/aap/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Continuum percolation for Gibbsian point processes with attractive interactions

We study the problem of continuum percolation in infinite volume Gibbs measures for particles with an attractive pair potential, with a focus on low temperatures (large β). The main results are bounds on percolation thresholds ρ ± (β) in terms of the density rather than the chemical potential or activity. In addition, we prove a variational formula for a large deviations rate function for cluster size distributions. This formula establishes a link with the Gibbs variational principle and a form of equivalence of ensembles, and allows us to combine knowledge on finite volume, canonical Gibbs measures with infinite volume, grand-canonical Gibbs measure

Fermionic and bosonic Laughlin state on thick cylinders

We investigate a many-body wave function for particles on a cylinder known as Laughlin's function. It is the power of a Vandermonde determinant times a Gaussian. Our main result is: in a many-particle limit, at fixed radius, all correlation functions have a unique limit, and the limit state has a non-trivial period in the axial direction. The result holds regardless how large the radius is, for fermions as well as bosons. In addition, we explain how the algebraic structure used in proofs relates to a ground state perturbation series and to quasi-state decompositions, and we show that the monomer-dimer function introduced in an earlier work is an exact, zero energy, ground state of a suitable finite range Hamiltonian; this is interesting because of formal analogies with some quantum spin chains.Comment: 49 page

Mayer and virial series at low temperature

We analyze the Mayer pressure-activity and virial pressure-density series for a classical system of particles in continuous configuration space at low temperature. Particles interact via a finite range potential with an attractive tail. We propose physical interpretations of the Mayer and virial series' radius of convergence, valid independently of the question of phase transition: the Mayer radius corresponds to a fast increase from very small to finite density, and the virial radius corresponds to a cross-over from monatomic to polyatomic gas. Our results have consequences for the search of a low density, low temperature solid-gas phase transition, consistent with the Lee-Yang theorem for lattice gases and with the continuum Widom-Rowlinson mode

Continuum percolation for Gibbsian point processes with attractive interactions

We study the problem of continuum percolation in infinite volume Gibbs measures for particles with an attractive pair potential, with a focus on low temperatures (large $\beta$). The main results are bounds on percolation thresholds $\rho_\pm(\beta)$ in terms of the density rather than the chemical potential or activity. In addition, we prove a variational formula for a large deviations rate function for cluster size distributions. This formula establishes a link with the Gibbs variational principle and a form of equivalence of ensembles, and allows us to combine knowledge on finite volume, canonical Gibbs measures with infinite volume, grand-canonical Gibbs measures.Comment: 22 pages. Corrected a statement on lattice gases, added referenc

Surface energy and boundary layers for a chain of atoms at low temperature

We analyze the surface energy and boundary layers for a chain of atoms at low temperature for an interaction potential of Lennard-Jones type. The pressure (stress) is assumed small but positive and bounded away from zero, while the temperature $\beta^{-1}$ goes to zero. Our main results are: (1) As $\beta \to \infty$ at fixed positive pressure $p>0$, the Gibbs measures $\mu_\beta$ and $\nu_\beta$ for infinite chains and semi-infinite chains satisfy path large deviations principles. The rate functions are bulk and surface energy functionals $\overline{\mathcal{E}}_{\mathrm{bulk}}$ and $\overline{\mathcal{E}}_\mathrm{surf}$. The minimizer of the surface functional corresponds to zero temperature boundary layers. (2) The surface correction to the Gibbs free energy converges to the zero temperature surface energy, characterized with the help of the minimum of $\overline{\mathcal{E}}_\mathrm{surf}$. (3) The bulk Gibbs measure and Gibbs free energy can be approximated by their Gaussian counterparts. (4) Bounds on the decay of correlations are provided, some of them uniform in $\beta$

A functional central limit theorem for a modulated network of infinite-server queues

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