Horofunctions on graphs of linear growth

We prove that a linear growth graph has finitely many horofunctions. This provides a short and simple proof that any finitely generated infinite group of linear growth is virtually cyclic

Langevin Dynamics of the vortex matter two-stage melting transition in Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O8+δ_{8+\delta} in the presence of straight and of tilted columnar defects

In this paper we use London Langevin molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the vortex matter melting transition in the highly anisotropic high-temperature superconductor material Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O$_{8+\delta}$ in the presence of low concentration of columnar defects (CDs). We reproduce with further details our previous results obtained by using Multilevel Monte Carlo simulations that showed that the melting of the nanocrystalline vortex matter occurs in two stages: a first stage melting into nanoliquid vortex matter and a second stage delocalization transition into a homogeneous liquid. Furthermore, we report on new dynamical measurements in the presence of a current that identifies clearly the irreversibility line and the second stage delocalization transition. In addition to CDs aligned along the c-axis we also simulate the case of tilted CDs which are aligned at an angle with respect to the applied magnetic field. Results for CDs tilted by $45^{\circ}$ with respect to c-axis show that the locations of the melting and delocalization transitions are not affected by the tilt when the ratio of flux lines to CDs remains constant. On the other hand we argue that some dynamical properties and in particular the position of the irreversibility line should be affected.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figure

Molecular Dynamics of pancake vortices with realistic interactions: Observing the vortex lattice melting transition

In this paper we describe a version of London Langevin molecular dynamics simulations that allows for investigations of the vortex lattice melting transition in the highly anisotropic high-temperature superconductor material Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+\delta}$. We include the full electromagnetic interaction as well as the Josephson interaction among pancake vortices. We also implement periodic boundary conditions in all directions, including the z-axis along which the magnetic field is applied. We show how to implement flux cutting and reconnection as an analog to permutations in the multilevel Monte Carlo scheme and demonstrate that this process leads to flux entanglement that proliferates in the vortex liquid phase. The first-order melting transition of the vortex lattice is observed to be in excellent agreement with previous multilevel Monte Carlo simulations.Comment: 4 figure

Large time dynamics and aging of a polymer chain in a random potential

We study the out-of-equilibrium large time dynamics of a gaussian polymer chain in a quenched random potential. The dynamics studied is a simple Langevin dynamics commonly referred to as the Rouse model. The equations for the two-time correlation and response function are derived within the gaussian variational approximation. In order to implement this approximation faithfully, we employ the supersymmetric representation of the Martin-Siggia-Rose dynamical action. For a short ranged correlated random potential the equations are solved analytically in the limit of large times using certain assumptions concerning the asymptotic behavior. Two possible dynamical behaviors are identified depending upon the time separation- a stationary regime and an aging regime. In the stationary regime time translation invariance holds and so is the fluctuation dissipation theorem. The aging regime which occurs for large time separations of the two-time correlation functions is characterized by history dependence and the breakdown of certain equilibrium relations. The large time limit of the equations yields equations among the order parameters that are similar to the equations obtained in the statics using replicas. In particular the aging solution corresponds to the broken replica solution. But there is a difference in one equation that leads to important consequences for the solution. The stationary regime corresponds to the motion of the polymer inside a local minimum of the random potential, whereas in the aging regime the polymer hops between different minima. As a byproduct we also solve exactly the dynamics of a chain in a random potential with quadratic correlations.Comment: 21 pages, RevTeX

Flux melting in BSCCO: Incorporating both electromagnetic and Josephson couplings

Multilevel Monte Carlo simulations of a BSCCO system are carried out including both Josephson as well as electromagnetic couplings for a range of anisotropies. A first order melting transition of the flux lattice is seen on increasing the temperature and/or the magnetic field. The phase diagram for BSCCO is obtained for different values of the anisotropy parameter $\gamma$. The best fit to the experimental results of D. Majer {\it et al.} [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 75}, 1166 (1995)] is obtained for $\gamma\approx 250$ provided one assumes a temperature dependence $\lambda^2(0)/\lambda^2(T)=1-t$ of the penetration depth with $t=T/T_c$. Assuming a dependence $\lambda^2(0)/\lambda^2(T)=1-t^2$ the best fit is obtained for $\gamma\approx 450$. For finite anisotropy the data is shown to collapse on a straight line when plotted in dimensionless units which shows that the melting transition can be satisfied with a single Lindemann parameter whose value is about 0.3. A different scaling applies to the $\gamma=\infty$ case. The energy jump is measured across the transition and for large values of $\gamma$ it is found to increase with increasing anisotropy and to decrease with increasing magnetic field. For infinite anisotropy we see a 2D behavior of flux droplets with a transition taking place at a temperature independent of the magnetic field. We also show that for smaller values of anisotropy it is reasonable to replace the electromagnetic coupling with an in-plane interaction represented by a Bessel function of the second kind ($K_0$), thus justifying our claim in a previous paper.Comment: 12 figures, revtex

Solvable model of a polymer in random media with long ranged disorder correlations

We present an exactly solvable model of a Gaussian (flexible) polymer chain in a quenched random medium. This is the case when the random medium obeys very long range quadratic correlations. The model is solved in $d$ spatial dimensions using the replica method, and practically all the physical properties of the chain can be found. In particular the difference between the behavior of a chain that is free to move and a chain with one end fixed is elucidated. The interesting finding is that a chain that is free to move in a quadratically correlated random potential behaves like a free chain with $R^2 \sim L$, where $R$ is the end to end distance and $L$ is the length of the chain, whereas for a chain anchored at one end $R^2 \sim L^4$. The exact results are found to agree with an alternative numerical solution in $d=1$ dimensions. The crossover from long ranged to short ranged correlations of the disorder is also explored.Comment: REVTeX, 28 pages, 12 figures in eps forma

Replica field theory for a polymer in random media

In this paper we revisit the problem of a (non self-avoiding) polymer chain in a random medium which was previously investigated by Edwards and Muthukumar (EM). As noticed by Cates and Ball (CB) there is a discrepancy between the predictions of the replica calculation of EM and the expectation that in an infinite medium the quenched and annealed results should coincide (for a chain that is free to move) and a long polymer should always collapse. CB argued that only in a finite volume one might see a ``localization transition'' (or crossover) from a stretched to a collapsed chain in three spatial dimensions. Here we carry out the replica calculation in the presence of an additional confining harmonic potential that mimics the effect of a finite volume. Using a variational scheme with five variational parameters we derive analytically for d<4 the result R~(g |ln \mu|)^{-1/(4-d)} ~(g lnV)^{-1/(4-d)}, where R is the radius of gyration, g is the strength of the disorder, \mu is the spring constant associated with the confining potential and V is the associated effective volume of the system. Thus the EM result is recovered with their constant replaced by ln(V) as argued by CB. We see that in the strict infinite volume limit the polymer always collapses, but for finite volume a transition from a stretched to a collapsed form might be observed as a function of the strength of the disorder. For d<2 and for large V>V'~exp[g^(2/(2-d))L^((4-d)/(2-d))] the annealed results are recovered and R~(Lg)^(1/(d-2)), where L is the length of the polymer. Hence the polymer also collapses in the large L limit. The 1-step replica symmetry breaking solution is crucial for obtaining the above results.Comment: Revtex, 32 page

Fluctuation and Dissipation in Liquid Crystal Electroconvection

In this experiment a steady state current is maintained through a liquid crystal thin film. When the applied voltage is increased through a threshold, a phase transition is observed into a convective state characterized by the chaotic motion of rolls. Above the threshold, an increase in power consumption is observed that is manifested by an increase in the mean conductivity. A sharp increase in the ratio of the power fluctuations to the mean power dissipated is observed above the transition. This ratio is compared to the predictions of the fluctuation theorem of Gallavotti and Cohen using an effective temperature associated with the rolls' chaotic motion.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, revtex forma

Quantum fluctuations and glassy behavior: The case of a quantum particle in a random potential

In this paper we expand our previous investigation of a quantum particle subject to the action of a random potential plus a fixed harmonic potential at a finite temperature T. In the classical limit the system reduces to a well-known ``toy'' model for an interface in a random medium. It also applies to a single quantum particle like an an electron subject to random interactions, where the harmonic potential can be tuned to mimic the effect of a finite box. Using the variational approximation, or alternatively, the limit of large spatial dimensions, together with the use the replica method, and are able to solve the model and obtain its phase diagram in the $T - (\hbar^2/m)$ plane, where $m$ is the particle's mass. The phase diagram is similar to that of a quantum spin-glass in a transverse field, where the variable $\hbar^2/m$ plays the role of the transverse field. The glassy phase is characterized by replica-symmetry-breaking. The quantum transition at zero temperature is also discussed.Comment: revised version, 23 pages, revtex, 5 postscript figures in a separate file figures.u