Surface scaling behavior of isotropic Heisenberg systems: Critical exponents, structure factor, and profiles

The surface scaling behavior of classical isotropic Heisenberg magnets is investigated by Monte - Carlo methods in d=3 dimensions for various values of the surface - to - bulk coupling ratio J_1/J. For J_1/J <= 1.0 critical behavior according to the ordinary surface universality class is found. New estimates for magnetic surface exponents are presented and compared to older estimates and their theoretical counterparts. For J_1/J >= 2.0 scaling is still valid with effective exponents which depend on J_1/J. The surface structure factor S_1(p,L) is investigated at bulk criticality as function of the momentum transfer p parallel to the surface and the system size L. For J_1/J <= 1.0 and J_1/J >= 2.0 the full p dependence of S_1(p,L) can be captured by generalized shape functions to a remarkable accuracy. Profiles of the magnetization and the energy density also confirm scaling, where for J_1/J <= 1.0 the ordinary surface universality class is recovered and for J_1/J >= 2.0 scaling with J_1/J dependent exponents is found. For J_1/J = 1.5 the system displays a striking crossover behavior from spurious long - range surface order to the ordinary surface universality class. For J_1/J >= 2.0 the effective scaling laws must be interpreted as nonasymptotic and the value J_1/J = 1.5 marks a crossover regime, in which the crossover from the nonasymptotic to the asymptotic (ordinary) surface scaling behavior can be resolved within numerically attainable system sizes.Comment: 14 pages RevTeX, 14 figures; to appear in Phys. Rev. B, Sept. 200

Anti-phase locking in a two-dimensional Josephson junction array

We consider theoretically phase locking in a simple two-dimensional Josephson junction array consisting of two loops coupled via a joint line transverse to the bias current. Ring inductances are supposed to be small, and special emphasis is taken on the influence of external flux. Is is shown, that in the stable oscillation regime both cells oscillate with a phase shift equal to $\pi$ (i.e. anti-phase). This result may explain the low radiation output obtained so far in two-dimensional Josephson junction arrays experimentally.Comment: 11 pages, REVTeX, 1 Postscript figure, Subm. to Appl. Phys. Let

Critical Casimir amplitudes for nn-component ϕ4\phi^4 models with O(n)-symmetry breaking quadratic boundary terms

Euclidean $n$-component $\phi^4$ theories whose Hamiltonians are O(n) symmetric except for quadratic symmetry breaking boundary terms are studied in films of thickness $L$. The boundary terms imply the Robin boundary conditions $\partial_n\phi_\alpha =\mathring{c}^{(j)}_\alpha \phi_\alpha$ at the boundary planes $\mathfrak{B}_{j=1,2}$ at $z=0$ and $z=L$. Particular attention is paid to the cases in which $m_j$ of the $n$ variables $\mathring{c}^{(j)}_\alpha$ take the special value $\mathring{c}_{m_j\text{-sp}}$ corresponding to critical enhancement while the remaining ones are subcritically enhanced. Under these conditions, the semi-infinite system bounded by $\mathfrak{B}_j$ has a multicritical point, called $m_j$-special, at which an $O(m_j)$ symmetric critical surface phase coexists with the O(n) symmetric bulk phase, provided $d$ is sufficiently large. The $L$-dependent part of the reduced free energy per area behaves as $\Delta_C/L^{d-1}$ as $L\to\infty$ at the bulk critical point. The Casimir amplitudes $\Delta_C$ are determined for small $\epsilon=4-d$ in the general case where $m_{c,c}$ components $\phi_\alpha$ are critically enhanced at both boundary planes, $m_{c,D} + m_{D,c}$ components are enhanced at one plane but satisfy asymptotic Dirichlet boundary conditions at the respective other, and the remaining $m_{D,D}$ components satisfy asymptotic Dirichlet boundary conditions at both $\mathfrak{B}_j$. Whenever $m_{c,c}>0$, these expansions involve integer and fractional powers $\epsilon^{k/2}$ with $k\ge 3$ (mod logarithms). Results to $O(\epsilon^{3/2})$ for general values of $m_{c,c}$, $m_{c,D}+m_{D,c}$, and $m_{D,D}$ are used to estimate the $\Delta_C$ of 3D Heisenberg systems with surface spin anisotropies when $(m_{c,c}, m_{c,D}+ m_{D,c}) = (1,0)$, $(0,1)$, and $(1,1)$.Comment: Latex source file with 5 eps files; version with minor amendments and corrected typo

The critical Casimir force and its fluctuations in lattice spin models: exact and Monte Carlo results

We present general arguments and construct a stress tensor operator for finite lattice spin models. The average value of this operator gives the Casimir force of the system close to the bulk critical temperature $T_c$. We verify our arguments via exact results for the force in the two-dimensional Ising model, $d$-dimensional Gaussian and mean spherical model with $2<d<4$. On the basis of these exact results and by Monte Carlo simulations for three-dimensional Ising, XY and Heisenberg models we demonstrate that the standard deviation of the Casimir force $F_C$ in a slab geometry confining a critical substance in-between is $k_b T D(T)(A/a^{d-1})^{1/2}$, where $A$ is the surface area of the plates, $a$ is the lattice spacing and $D(T)$ is a slowly varying nonuniversal function of the temperature $T$. The numerical calculations demonstrate that at the critical temperature $T_c$ the force possesses a Gaussian distribution centered at the mean value of the force $=k_b T_c (d-1)\Delta/(L/a)^{d}$, where $L$ is the distance between the plates and $\Delta$ is the (universal) Casimir amplitude.Comment: 21 pages, 7 figures, to appear in PR

Analysis of the Developmental Regulation of the Cyanogenic Compounds in Seedlings of Two Lines of \u3cem\u3eLinum usitatissimum\u3c/em\u3e L.

The developmental profiles and tissue distribution of the four cyanogenic compounds in seedlings of two developmentally contrasting inbred lines of flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) were examined using HPLC. During germination, the isoleucine-derived compound, neolinustatin, was hydrolysed faster in the more vigorous of the two lines. Furthermore, in this line, the neolinustatin content was higher in seeds and the accumulation of the other isoleucine-derived compound, lotaustralin, was also higher in the cotyledons of seedlings. In contrast, with one exception, the hydrolysis and accumulation of the valine-derived compounds, linustatin and linamarin, was the same in both lines. Differences in the levels of the compounds during germination, and in the hypocotyls, are interpreted as evidence for the involvement of transient levels of hydrogen cyanide in the autocatalytic regulation of ethylene production

Critical Casimir Effect in 3He-4He films

Universal aspects of the thermodynamic Casimir effect in wetting films of 3He-4He mixtures near their bulk tricritical point are studied within suitable models serving as representatives of the corresponding universality class. The effective forces between the boundaries of such films arising from the confinement are calculated along isotherms at several fixed concentrations of 3He. Nonsymmetric boundary conditions impose nontrivial concentration profiles leading to repulsive Casimir forces which exhibit a rich behavior of the crossover between the tricritical point and the line of critical points. The theoretical results agree with published experimental data and emphasize the importance of logarithmic corrections.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, submitted to the Phys. Rev. Let

Phase diagram of a model for 3He-4He mixtures in three dimensions

A lattice model of 3He - 4He mixtures which takes into account the continuous rotational symmetry O(2) of the superfluid degrees of freedom of 4He is studied in the molecular-field approximation and by Monte Carlo simulations in three dimensions. In contrast to its two-dimensional version, for reasonable values of the interaction parameters the resulting phase diagram resembles that observed experimentally for 3He - 4He mixtures, for which phase separation occurs as a consequence of the superfluid transition. The corresponding continuum Ginzburg-Landau model with two order parameters describing 3He- 4He mixtures near tricriticality is derived from the considered lattice model. All coupling constants appearing in the continuum model are explicitly expressed in terms of the mean concentration of 4He, the temperature, and the microscopic interaction parameters characterizing the lattice system.Comment: 32 pages, 12 figures, submitted to the Phys. Rev.

Casimir Forces at Tricritical Points: Theory and Possible Experiments

Using field-theoretical methods and exploiting conformal invariance, we study Casimir forces at tricritical points exerted by long-range fluctuations of the order-parameter field. Special attention is paid to the situation where the symmetry is broken by the boundary conditions (extraordinary transition). Besides the parallel-plate configuration, we also discuss the geometries of two separate spheres and a single sphere near a planar wall, which may serve as a model for colloidal particles immersed in a fluid. In the concrete case of ternary mixtures a quantitative comparison with critical Casimir and van der Waals forces shows that, especially with symmetry-breaking boundaries, the tricritical Casimir force is considerably stronger than the critical one and dominates also the competing van der Waals force.Comment: 18 pages, Latex, 3 postscript figures, uses Elsevier style file