The spectral form factor is not self-averaging

The spectral form factor, k(t), is the Fourier transform of the two level correlation function C(x), which is the averaged probability for finding two energy levels spaced x mean level spacings apart. The average is over a piece of the spectrum of width W in the neighborhood of energy E0. An additional ensemble average is traditionally carried out, as in random matrix theory. Recently a theoretical calculation of k(t) for a single system, with an energy average only, found interesting nonuniversal semiclassical effects at times t approximately unity in units of {Planck's constant) /(mean level spacing). This is of great interest if k(t) is self-averaging, i.e, if the properties of a typical member of the ensemble are the same as the ensemble average properties. We here argue that this is not always the case, and that for many important systems an ensemble average is essential to see detailed properties of k(t). In other systems, notably the Riemann zeta function, it is likely possible to see the properties by an analysis of the spectrum.Comment: 4 pages, RevTex, no figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett., permanent e-mail address, [email protected]

Sublattice ordering in a dilute ensemble of defects in graphene

Defects in graphene, such as vacancies or adsorbents attaching themselves to carbons, may preferentially take positions on one of its two sublattices, thus breaking the global lattice symmetry. This leads to opening a gap in the electronic spectrum. We show that such a sublattice ordering may spontaneously occur in a dilute ensemble defects, due to the long-range interaction between them mediated by electrons. As a result sublattice-ordered domains may form, with electronic properties characteristic of a two-dimensional topological insulator.Comment: to appear in Europhysics Letter

Causal Perturbation Theory and Differential Renormalization

In Causal Perturbation Theory the process of renormalization is precisely equivalent to the extension of time ordered distributions to coincident points. This is achieved by a modified Taylor subtraction on the corresponding test functions. I show that the pullback of this operation to the distributions yields expressions known from Differential Renormalization. The subtraction is equivalent to BPHZ subtraction in momentum space. Some examples from Euclidean scalar field theory in flat and curved spacetime will be presented.Comment: 15 pages, AMS-LaTeX, feynm

H_c_3 for a thin-film superconductor with a ferromagnetic dot

We investigate the effect of a ferromagnetic dot on a thin-film superconductor. We use a real-space method to solve the linearized Ginzburg-Landau equation in order to find the upper critical field, H_c_3. We show that H_c_3 is crucially dependent on dot composition and geometry, and may be significantly greater than H_c_2. H_c_3 is maximally enhanced when (1) the dot saturation magnetization is large, (2) the ratio of dot thickness to dot diameter is of order one, and (3) the dot thickness is large

Causal perturbation theory in terms of retarded products, and a proof of the Action Ward Identity

In the framework of perturbative algebraic quantum field theory a local construction of interacting fields in terms of retarded products is performed, based on earlier work of Steinmann. In our formalism the entries of the retarded products are local functionals of the off shell classical fields, and we prove that the interacting fields depend only on the action and not on terms in the Lagrangian which are total derivatives, thus providing a proof of Stora's 'Action Ward Identity'. The theory depends on free parameters which flow under the renormalization group. This flow can be derived in our local framework independently of the infrared behavior, as was first established by Hollands and Wald. We explicitly compute non-trivial examples for the renormalization of the interaction and the field.Comment: 76 pages, to appear in Rev. Math. Phy

Spectral correlations : understanding oscillatory contributions

We give a different derivation of a relation obtained using a supersymmetric nonlinear sigma model by Andreev and Altshuler [Phys. Rev. Lett. 72, 902 (1995)], which connects smooth and oscillatory components of spectral correlation functions. We show that their result is not specific to the random matrix theory. Also, we show that despite an apparent contradiction, the results obtained using their formula are consistent with earlier perspectives on random matrix models

Quasiclassical Random Matrix Theory

We directly combine ideas of the quasiclassical approximation with random matrix theory and apply them to the study of the spectrum, in particular to the two-level correlator. Bogomolny's transfer operator T, quasiclassically an NxN unitary matrix, is considered to be a random matrix. Rather than rejecting all knowledge of the system, except for its symmetry, [as with Dyson's circular unitary ensemble], we choose an ensemble which incorporates the knowledge of the shortest periodic orbits, the prime quasiclassical information bearing on the spectrum. The results largely agree with expectations but contain novel features differing from other recent theories.Comment: 4 pages, RevTex, submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett., permanent e-mail [email protected]

High-frequency transport in pp-type Si/Si0.87_{0.87}Ge0.13_{0.13} heterostructures studied with surface acoustic waves in the quantum Hall regime

The interaction of surface acoustic waves (SAW) with $p$-type Si/Si$_{0.87}$Ge$_{0.13}$ heterostructures has been studied for SAW frequencies of 30-300 MHz. For temperatures in the range 0.7$<T<$1.6 K and magnetic fields up to 7 T, the SAW attenuation coefficient $\Gamma$ and velocity change $\Delta V /V$ were found to oscillate with filling factor. Both the real $\sigma_1$ and imaginary $\sigma_2$ components of the high-frequency conductivity have been determined and compared with quasi-dc magnetoresistance measurements at temperatures down to 33 mK. By analyzing the ratio of $\sigma_1$ to $\sigma_2$, carrier localization can be followed as a function of temperature and magnetic field. At $T$=0.7 K, the variations of $\Gamma$, $\Delta V /V$ and $\sigma_1$ with SAW intensity have been studied and can be explained by heating of the two dimensional hole gas by the SAW electric field. Energy relaxation is found to be dominated by acoustic phonon deformation potential scattering with weak screening.Comment: Accepted for publication in PR

Explicitly solvable cases of one-dimensional quantum chaos

We identify a set of quantum graphs with unique and precisely defined spectral properties called {\it regular quantum graphs}. Although chaotic in their classical limit with positive topological entropy, regular quantum graphs are explicitly solvable. The proof is constructive: we present exact periodic orbit expansions for individual energy levels, thus obtaining an analytical solution for the spectrum of regular quantum graphs that is complete, explicit and exact

Quantum-to-classical crossover of mesoscopic conductance fluctuations

We calculate the system-size-over-wave-length ($M$) dependence of sample-to-sample conductance fluctuations, using the open kicked rotator to model chaotic scattering in a ballistic quantum dot coupled by two $N$-mode point contacts to electron reservoirs. Both a fully quantum mechanical and a semiclassical calculation are presented, and found to be in good agreement. The mean squared conductance fluctuations reach the universal quantum limit of random-matrix-theory for small systems. For large systems they increase $\propto M^2$ at fixed mean dwell time $\tau_D \propto M/N$. The universal quantum fluctuations dominate over the nonuniversal classical fluctuations if $N < \sqrt{M}$. When expressed as a ratio of time scales, the quantum-to-classical crossover is governed by the ratio of Ehrenfest time and ergodic time.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures: one figure added, references update