Driven periodic elastic systems such as charge-density waves (CDWs) pinned by impurities show a nontrivial, glassy dynamical critical behavior. Their proper theoretical description requires the functional renormalization group. We show that their critical behavior close to the depinning transition is related to a much simpler model, O(n) symmetric ϕ^{4} theory in the unusual limit of n→-2. We demonstrate that both theories yield identical results to four-loop order and give both a perturbative and a nonperturbative proof of their equivalence. As we show, both theories can be used to describe loop-erased random walks (LERWs), the trace of a random walk where loops are erased as soon as they are formed. Remarkably, two famous models of non-self-intersecting random walks, self-avoiding walks and LERWs, can both be mapped onto ϕ^{4} theory, taken with formally n=0 and n→-2 components. This mapping allows us to compute the dynamic critical exponent of CDWs at the depinning transition and the fractal dimension of LERWs in d=3 with unprecedented accuracy, z(d=3)=1.6243±0.001, in excellent agreement with the estimate z=1.62400±0.00005 of numerical simulations.
Driven periodic elastic systems such as charge-density waves (CDWs) pinned by impurities show a nontrivial, glassy dynamical critical behavior. Their proper theoretical description requires the functional renormalization group. We show that their critical behavior close to the depinning transition is related to a much simpler model, O(n) symmetric ϕ^{4} theory in the unusual limit of n→-2. We demonstrate that both theories yield identical results to four-loop order and give both a perturbative and a nonperturbative proof of their equivalence. As we show, both theories can be used to describe loop-erased random walks (LERWs), the trace of a random walk where loops are erased as soon as they are formed. Remarkably, two famous models of non-self-intersecting random walks, self-avoiding walks and LERWs, can both be mapped onto ϕ^{4} theory, taken with formally n=0 and n→-2 components. This mapping allows us to compute the dynamic critical exponent of CDWs at the depinning transition and the fractal dimension of LERWs in d=3 with unprecedented accuracy, z(d=3)=1.6243±0.001, in excellent agreement with the estimate z=1.62400±0.00005 of numerical simulations.
The critical behavior of charge-density waves (CDWs) in the pinned phase is studied for applied fields increasing toward the threshold field, using recently developed renormalization-group techniques and simulations of automaton models. Despite the existence of many metastable states in the pinned state of the CDW, the renormalization-group treatment can be used successfully to find the divergences in the polarization and the correlation length, and, to first order in an \ensuremath{\epsilon}=4-d expansion, the diverging time scale. The automaton models studied are a charge-density wave model and a ``sandpile'' model with periodic boundary conditions; these models are found to have the same critical behavior, associated with diverging avalanche sizes. The numerical results for the polarization and the diverging length and time scales in dimensions d=2,3 are in agreement with the analytical treatment. These results clarify the connections between the behavior above and below threshold: the characteristic correlation lengths on both sides of the transition diverge with different exponents. The scaling of the distribution of avalanches on the approach to threshold is found to be different for automaton and continuous-variable models.
A d-dimensional elastic manifold at depinning is described by a renormalized field theory, based on the functional renormalization group (FRG). Here, we analyze this theory to 3-loop order, equivalent to third order in $\ensuremath{\epsilon}=4\ensuremath{-}d$, where d is the internal dimension. The critical exponent reads $\ensuremath{\zeta}=\frac{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}{3}+0.04777{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}^{2}\ensuremath{-}0.068354{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}^{3}+O({\ensuremath{\epsilon}}^{4})$. Using that $\ensuremath{\zeta}(d=0)={2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, we estimate $\ensuremath{\zeta}(d=1)=1.266(20)$, $\ensuremath{\zeta}(d=2)=0.752(1)$, and $\ensuremath{\zeta}(d=3)=0.357(1)$. For Gaussian disorder, the pinning force per site is estimated as ${f}_{\mathrm{c}}=\mathcal{B}{m}^{2}{\ensuremath{\rho}}_{m}+{f}_{\mathrm{c}}^{0}$, where m2 is the strength of the confining potential, B a universal amplitude, ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{m}$ the correlation length of the disorder, and fc0 a nonuniversal lattice-dependent term. For charge-density waves, we find a mapping to the standard ${\ensuremath{\phi}}^{4}$ theory with O(n) symmetry in the limit of $n\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{-}2$. This gives ${f}_{\mathrm{c}}=\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{\mathcal{A}}(d){m}^{2}ln(m)+{f}_{\mathrm{c}}^{0}$, with $\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{\mathcal{A}}(d)=\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\partial}}_{n}{[\ensuremath{\nu}{(d,n)}^{\ensuremath{-}1}+\ensuremath{\eta}(d,n)]}_{n=\ensuremath{-}2}$, reminiscent of logarithmic conformal field theories.
Large-scale numerical simulations are used to study the elastic dynamics of two-dimensional vortex lattices driven on a disordered medium in the case of weak disorder. We investigate the so-called elastic depinning transition by decreasing the driving force from the elastic dynamical regime to the state pinned by the quenched disorder. Similarly to the plastic depinning transition, we find results compatible with a second-order phase transition, although both depinning transitions are very different from many viewpoints. We evaluate three critical exponents of the elastic depinning transition. β = 0.29 ± 0.03 is found for the velocity exponent at zero temperature, and from the velocity–temperature curves we extract the critical exponent δ−1 = 0.28 ± 0.05. Furthermore, in contrast with charge-density waves, a finite-size scaling analysis suggests the existence of a unique diverging length at the depinning threshold with an exponent ν = 1.04 ± 0.04, which controls the critical force distribution, the finite-size crossover force distribution and the intrinsic correlation length. Finally, a scaling relation is found between velocity and temperature with the β and δ critical exponents both independent with regard to pinning strength and disorder realizations.
Large-scale numerical simulations are used to study the elastic dynamics of two-dimensional vortex lattices driven on a disordered medium in the case of weak disorder. We investigate the so-called elastic depinning transition by decreasing the driving force from the elastic dynamical regime to the state pinned by the quenched disorder. Similarly to the plastic depinning transition, we find results compatible with a second-order phase transition, although both depinning transitions are very different from many viewpoints. We evaluate three critical exponents of the elastic depinning transition. β = 0.29 ± 0.03 is found for the velocity exponent at zero temperature, and from the velocity–temperature curves we extract the critical exponent δ −1 = 0.28 ± 0.05. Furthermore, in contrast with charge-density waves, a finite-size scaling analysis suggests the existence of a unique diverging length at the depinning threshold with an exponent ν = 1.04 ± 0.04, which controls the critical force distribution, the finite-size crossover force distribution and the intrinsic correlation length. Finally, a scaling relation is found between velocity and temperature with the β and δ critical exponents both independent with regard to pinning strength and disorder realizations.
Disordered elastic systems are studied in the quantum, classical, and dynamic regime in the present thesis. The thesis consists of two main parts: In the first part we study the low temperature phase diagram of one-dimensional weakly disordered quantum systems like charge or spin density waves and Luttinger liquids by a full finite temperature renormalization group (RG) calculation. In the classical region, for vanishing quantum fluctuations those results are supplemented by an exact solution of the model in the case of strong disorder, described by the ground state and the correlation function. Furthermore, by a mapping of the problem onto a Burgers equation with noise, in the case of weak disorder, we can derive an expression for the correlation length. At zero temperature we reproduce the (quantum) phase transition between a pinned (localized) and an unpinned (delocalized) phase for weak and strong quantum fluctuations, respectively, as found previously by Fukuyama or Giamarchi and Schulz. At finite temperatures the localization transition is suppressed: the random potential is wiped out by thermal fluctuations on length scales larger than the thermal de Broglie wave length of the phason excitations. The existence of a zero temperature transition is reflected in a rich cross-over phase diagram determined by the correlation functions. In particular we find four different scaling regions: a classical disordered, a quantum disordered, a quantum critical, and a thermal region. The results can be transferred directly to the discussion of the influence of disorder in superfluids. Finally we extend the RG calculation to the treatment of a commensurate lattice potential, and for the case of density waves we discuss the influence of quantum phase-slips, which might lead to a new scenario for the unpinning (delocalization) transition at zero temperature. Additionally, we analyze the current noise in a classical one-dimensional charge density wave system in the weak pinning regime by solving the overdamped equation of motion numerically. At low temperatures and just above the zero temperature depinning threshold, the power spectrum of the current noise reveals the existence of 1/f or flicker noise. Our results are in agreement with experimental measurements in quasi-one-dimensional charge density wave systems. In part two, we examine the viscous motion of an interface driven by a periodically oscillating external field in a random medium. The velocity exhibits a smeared depinning transition showing a pronounced hysteresis, which is absent in the adiabatic case. Its width is determined by a new length scale, introduced by the frequency of the external drive and - in the low frequency regime - by the critical exponents of the zero frequency depinning transition. Scaling arguments and an approximate renormalization group treatment predict a power law behavior of the velocity as a function of frequency and field amplitude at the dc depinning threshold, which is confirmed numerically. Thermal fluctuations lead to an additional smearing of the transition. If the amplitude of the external driving force is smaller than the depinning field, the motion of the interface by avalanches has to be taken into account in order to describe the velocity hysteresis. To check the validity of our model with respect to experimental results, we calculate the complex susceptibilities using an adiabatic and non-adiabatic approach numerically for finite systems and compare it to measurements of a superferromagnetic granular multilayer system and find that the model of an ac driven interface in a disordered environment can describe the main features of the experimental results. Additionally, the influence of a strong surface potential on the critical depinning of an elastic system, driven in a random medium is considered. If the surface potential prevents depinning completely, the curvature of the displacement profile at zero temperature exhibits a pronounced rhombic hysteresis curve with width of two times the (bulk) depinning field. The hysteresis disappears at non-zero temperatures if the driving force is changed adiabatically. If the surface depinns by the applied force or thermal creep, the curvature is reduced with increasing velocity. The results apply, e.g., to driven magnetic domain walls, flux-line lattices, and charge-density waves. As addendum we examine low dimensional interacting, but clean Bose systems at low temperatures. The interaction leads to scattering events of the over-condensate particles for which we calculate the scattering times using Fermi's golden rule. With that we derive the thermal conductivity and the related weak localization corrections. This is done for short and long-range interactions.
The universal behavior of two-dimensional loop models can change dramatically when loops are allowed to cross. We study models with crossings both analytically and with extensive Monte Carlo simulations. Our main focus (the ``completely packed loop model with crossings'') is a simple generalization of well-known models that shows an interesting phase diagram with continuous phase transitions of a new kind. These separate the unusual ``Goldstone'' phase observed previously from phases with short loops. Using mappings to Z2 lattice gauge theory, we show that the continuum description of the model is a replica limit of the $\ensuremath{\sigma}$ model on real projective space (${\mathbb{RP}}^{n\ensuremath{-}1}$). This field theory sustains Z2 point defects, which proliferate at the transition. In addition to studying the new critical points, we characterize the universal properties of the Goldstone phase in detail, comparing renormalization group (RG) calculations with numerical data on systems of linear size up to L=106 at loop fugacity n=1. (Very large sizes are necessary because of the logarithmic form of correlation functions and other observables.) The model is relevant to polymers on the verge of collapse, and a particular point in parameter space maps to self-avoiding trails at their $\ensuremath{\Theta}$ point; we use the RG treatment of a perturbed $\ensuremath{\sigma}$ model to resolve some perplexing features in the previous literature on trails. Finally, one of the phase transitions considered here is a close analog of those in disordered electronic systems---specifically, Anderson metal-insulator transitions---and provides a simpler context in which to study the properties of these poorly understood (central-charge-zero) critical points.