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Matteo Baggioli

Publications and source records attributed to Matteo Baggioli.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
arXiv2023

Revealing the supercritical dynamics of dusty plasmas and their liquid-like to gas-like dynamical crossover

Dusty plasmas represent a powerful playground to study the collective dynamics of strongly coupled systems with important interdisciplinary connections to condensed matter physics. Due to the pure Yukawa repulsive interaction between dust particles, dusty plasmas do not display a traditional liquid-vapor phase transition, perfectly matching the definition of a supercritical fluid. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we verify the supercritical nature of dusty plasmas and reveal the existence of a dynamical liquid-like to gas-like crossover which perfectly matches the salient features of the Frenkel line in classical supercritical fluids. We present several diagnostics to locate this dynamical crossover spanning from local atomic connectivity, shear relaxation dynamics, velocity autocorrelation function, heat capacity, and various transport properties. All these different criteria well agree with each other and are able to successfully locate the Frenkel line in both 2D and 3D dusty plasmas. In addition, we propose the unity ratio of the instantaneous transverse sound speed $C_T$ to the average particle speed $\bar{v}_{p}$, i.e., $C_T / \bar{v}_{p} = 1$, as a new diagnostic to identify this dynamical crossover. Finally, we observe an emergent degree of universality in the collective dynamics and transport properties of dusty plasmas as a function of the screening parameter and dimensionality of the system. Intriguingly, the temperature of the dynamical transition is independent of the dimensionality, and it is found to be always $20$ times of the corresponding melting point. Our results open a new path for the study of single particle and collective dynamics in plasmas and their interrelation with supercritical fluids in general.

physics.plasm-ph↗
arXiv2023

Vibrational density of states and specific heat in glasses from random matrix theory

The low-temperature properties of glasses present important differences with respect to crystalline matter. In particular, models such as the Debye model of solids, which assume the existence of an underlying regular lattice, predict that the specific heat of solids varies with the cube of temperature at low temperatures. Since the 1970s' at least, it is a well established experimental fact that the specific heat of glasses is instead just linear in $T$ at $T \sim 1K$, and presents a pronounced peak when normalized by $T^{3}$, known as the boson peak. Here we present a new approach which suggests that the vibrational and thermal properties of amorphous solids are affected by the random matrix part of the vibrational spectrum. The model is also able to reproduce, for the first time, the experimentally observed inverse proportionality between the boson peak in the specific heat and the shear modulus.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗
arXiv2022

Aspects of univalence in holographic axion models

Univalent functions are complex, analytic (holomorphic) and injective functions that have been widely discussed in complex analysis. It was recently proposed that the stringent constraints that univalence imposes on the growth of functions combined with sufficient analyticity conditions could be used to derive rigorous lower and upper bounds on hydrodynamic dispersion relation, i.e., on all terms appearing in their convergent series representations. The results are exact bounds on physical quantities such as the diffusivity and the speed of sound. The purpose of this paper is to further explore these ideas, investigate them in concrete holographic examples, and work towards a better intuitive understanding of the role of univalence in physics. More concretely, we study diffusive and sound modes in a family of holographic axion models and offer a set of observations, arguments and tests that support the applicability of univalence methods for bounding physical observables described in terms of effective field theories. Our work provides insight into expected `typical' regions of univalence, comparisons between the tightness of bounds and the corresponding exact values of certain quantities characterizing transport, tests of relations between diffusion and bounds that involve chaotic pole-skipping, as well as tests of a condition that implies the conformal bound on the speed of sound and a complementary condition that implies its violation.

hep-th↗
arXiv2022

Holography and magnetohydrodynamics with dynamical gauge fields

Within the framework of holography, the Einstein-Maxwell action with Dirichlet boundary conditions corresponds to a dual conformal field theory in presence of an external gauge field. Nevertheless, in many real-world applications, e.g., magnetohydrodynamics, plasma physics, superconductors, etc. dynamical gauge fields and Coulomb interactions are fundamental. In this work, we consider bottom-up holographic models at finite magnetic field and (free) charge density in presence of dynamical boundary gauge fields which are introduced using mixed boundary conditions. We numerically study the spectrum of the lowest quasi-normal modes and successfully compare the obtained results to magnetohydrodynamics theory in $2+1$ dimensions. Surprisingly, as far as the electromagnetic coupling is small enough, we find perfect agreement even in the large magnetic field limit. Our results prove that a holographic description of magnetohydrodynamics does not necessarily need higher-form bulk fields but can be consistently derived using mixed boundary conditions for standard gauge fields.

hep-th↗
arXiv2022

Pion dynamics in a soft-wall AdS-QCD model

Pseudo-Goldstone modes appear in many physical systems and display robust universal features. First, their mass $m$ obeys the so-called Gell-Mann-Oakes-Renner (GMOR) relation $f^2\,m^2=H\,\barσ$, with $f$ the Goldstone stiffness, $H$ the explicit breaking scale and $\barσ$ the spontaneous condensate. More recently, it has been shown that their damping $Ω$ is constrained to follow the relation $Ω=m^2 D_φ$, where $D_φ$ is the Goldstone diffusivity in the purely spontaneous phase. Pions are the most paradigmatic example of pseudo-Goldstone modes and they are related to chiral symmetry breaking in QCD. In this work, we consider a bottom-up soft-wall AdS-QCD model with broken ${\rm{SU}}(2)_L \times {\rm{SU}}(2)_R$ symmetry and we study the nature of the associated pseudo-Goldstone modes -- the pions. In particular, we perform a detailed investigation of their dispersion relation in presence of dissipation, of the role of the explicit breaking induced by the quark masses and of the dynamics near the critical point. Taking advantage of the microscopic information provided by the holographic model, we give quantitative predictions for all the coefficients appearing in the effective description. In particular, we estimate the finite temperature behavior of the kinetic parameter $\mathfrak{r^2}$ defined as the ration between the Goldstone diffusivity $D_φ$ and the pion attenuation constant $D_A$. Interestingly, we observe important deviations from the value $\mathfrak{r^2}=3/4$ computed in chiral perturbation theory in the limit of zero temperature.

hep-ph↗
arXiv2022

Colloquium: Hydrodynamics and holography of charge density wave phases

In this Colloquium, we review recent progress in the effective description of strongly-correlated phases of matter with spontaneously broken translations, such as charge density waves or Wigner crystals. In real materials, disorder is inevitable and pins the Goldstones of broken translations. We describe how pinning can be incorporated in the effective field theory at low energies, without making any assumption on the presence of boost symmetry. We review the essential role played by gauge-gravity duality models in establishing these effective field theories with only approximate symmetries. We close with a discussion on the relevance of these models for the phenomenology of dc and ac transport in strongly-correlated strange and bad metals, such as high temperature superconductors.

hep-th↗
arXiv2022

Holographic Supersolids

A supersolid is a system that presents long-range order and shear rigidity as a solid but which also supports a non-dissipative superflow as a superfluid. From an effective perspective, supersolids are identified with phases of matter that break spontaneously translational invariance together with a global $U(1)$ symmetry. By using this symmetry prescription, we build a holographic bottom-up model for supersolids and we start the investigation of its thermodynamic and mechanical properties. More precisely, we analyze the behaviour of the critical temperature, the condensate, the shear modulus and the viscosity across all the phase diagram. Finally, we successfully compare our results with a simple Ginzburg-Landau model for supersolids deriving some universal physical correlations between the observables mentioned above.

hep-th↗
arXiv2022

Shear flows in far-from-equilibrium strongly coupled fluids

Despite the viscosity of a fluid ranges over several orders of magnitudes and is extremely sensitive to microscopic structure and molecular interactions, it has been conjectured that its (opportunely normalized) minimum displays a universal value which is experimentally approached in strongly coupled fluids such as the quark-gluon plasma. At the same time, recent findings suggest that hydrodynamics could serve as a universal attractor even when the deformation gradients are large and that dissipative transport coefficients, such as viscosity, could still display a universal behavior far-from-equilibrium. Motivated by these observations, we consider the real-time dissipative dynamics of several holographic models under large shear deformations. In all the cases considered, we observe that at late time both the viscosity-entropy density ratio and the dimensionless ratio between energy density and entropy density approach a constant value. Whenever the shear rate in units of the energy density is small at late time, these values coincide with the expectations from near equilibrium hydrodynamics. Surprisingly, even when this is not the case, and the system at late time is far from equilibrium, the viscosity-to-entropy ratio approaches a constant which decreases monotonically with the dimensionless shear rate and can be parametrically smaller than the hydrodynamic result.

hep-th↗
arXiv2022

The $ω^3$ scaling of the vibrational density of states in quasi-2D nanoconfined solids

Atomic vibrations play a vital role in the functions of various physical, chemical, and biological systems. The vibrational properties and the specific heat of crystalline bulk materials are well described by Debye theory, which successfully predicts the quadratic $ω^{2}$ low-frequency scaling of the vibrational density of states (VDOS) in bulk ordered solids from few fundamental assumptions. However, the analogous framework for nanoconfined materials with fewer degrees of freedom has been far less well explored. Using inelastic neutron scattering, we characterize the VDOS of amorphous ice confined to a thickness of $\approx 1$ nm inside graphene oxide membranes and we observe a crossover from the Debye $ω^2$ scaling to an anomalous $ω^3$ behaviour upon reducing the confinement size $L$. Additionally, using molecular dynamics simulations, we confirm the experimental findings and also prove that such a scaling of the VDOS appears in both crystalline and amorphous solids under slab-confinement. We theoretically demonstrate that this low-frequency $ω^3$ law results from the geometric constraints on the momentum phase space induced by confinement along one spatial direction. Finally, we predict that the Debye scaling reappears at a characteristic frequency $ω_\times= v L/2π$, with $v$ the speed of sound of the material, and we confirm this quantitative estimate with simulations. This new physical phenomenon, revealed by combining theoretical, experimental and simulations results, is relevant to a myriad of systems both in synthetic and biological contexts and it could impact various technological applications for systems under confinement such as nano-devices or thin films.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗
arXiv2022

Non-linear elasticity, yielding and entropy in amorphous solids

The holographic duality has proven successful in linking seemingly unrelated problems in physics.Recently, intriguing correspondences between the physics of soft matter and gravity are emerging,including strong similarities between the rheology of amorphous solids, effective field theories for elasticity and the physics of black holes. However, direct comparisons between theoretical predictions and experimental/simulation observations remain limited. Here, we study the effects of non-linear elasticity on the mechanical and thermodynamic properties of amorphous materials responding to shear, using effective field and gravitational theories. The predicted correlations among the non-linear elastic exponent, the yielding strain/stress and the entropy change due to shear are supported qualitatively by simulations of granular matter models. Our approach opens a path towards understanding complex mechanical responses of amorphous solids, such as mixed effects of shear softening and shear hardening, and offers the possibility to study the rheology of solid states and black holes in a unified framework.

cond-mat.soft↗
arXiv2022

Theory of sound attenuation in amorphous solids from nonaffine motions

We present a theoretical derivation of acoustic phonon damping in amorphous solids based on the nonaffine response formalism for the viscoelasticity of amorphous solids. The analytical theory takes into account the nonaffine displacements in transverse waves and is able to predict both the ubiquitous low-energy diffusive damping $\sim k^{2}$, as well as a novel contribution to the Rayleigh damping $\sim k^{4}$ at higher wavevectors and the crossover between the two regimes observed experimentally. The coefficient of the diffusive term is proportional to the microscopic viscous (Langevin-type) damping in particle motion (which arises from anharmonicity), and to the nonaffine correction to the static shear modulus, whereas the Rayleigh damping emerges in the limit of low anharmonicity, consistent with previous observations and macroscopic models. Importantly, the $k^4$ Rayleigh contribution derived here does not arise from harmonic disorder or elastic heterogeneity effects and it is the dominant mechanism for sound attenuation in amorphous solids as recently suggested by molecular simulations.

cond-mat.soft↗
arXiv2022

Pseudo-spontaneous $U(1)$ Symmetry Breaking in Hydrodynamics and Holography

We investigate the low-energy dynamics of systems with pseudo-spontaneously broken $U(1)$ symmetry and Goldstone phase relaxation. We construct a hydrodynamic framework which is able to capture these, in principle independent, effects. We consider two generalisations of the standard holographic superfluid model by adding an explicit breaking of the $U(1)$ symmetry by either sourcing the charged bulk scalar or by introducing an explicit mass term for the bulk gauge field. We find agreement between the hydrodynamic dispersion relations and the quasi-normal modes of both holographic models. We verify that phase relaxation arises only due to the breaking of the inherent Goldstone shift symmetry. The interplay of a weak explicit breaking of the $U(1)$ and phase relaxation renders the DC electric conductivity finite but does not result in a Drude-like peak. In this scenario we show the validity of a universal relation, found in the context of translational symmetry breaking, between the phase relaxation rate, the mass of the pseudo-Goldstone and the Goldstone diffusivity.

hep-th↗
arXiv2022

Superconducting dome in ferroelectric-type materials from soft mode instability

We present a minimal theory of superconductivity enhancement in ferroelectric-type materials. Simple expressions for the optical mode responsible for the soft mode transition are assumed. A key role is played by the anharmonic phonon damping which is modulated by an external control parameter (electron doping or mechanical strain) causing the appearance of the soft mode. It is shown that the enhancement in the superconducting critical temperature $T_{c}$ upon approaching the ferroelectric transition from either side is due to the Stokes electron-phonon scattering processes promoted by strong phonon damping effects.

cond-mat.supr-con↗
arXiv2021

Deformations, relaxation and broken symmetries in liquids, solids and glasses: a unified topological field theory

We combine hydrodynamic and field theoretic methods to develop a general theory of phonons as Goldstone bosons in crystals, glasses and liquids based on non-affine displacements and the consequent Goldstones phase relaxation. We relate the conservation, or lack thereof, of specific higher-form currents with properties of the underlying deformation field -- non-affinity -- which dictates how molecules move under an applied stress or deformation. In particular, the single-valuedness of the deformation field is associated with conservation of higher-form charges that count the number of topological defects. Our formalism predicts, from first principles, the presence of propagating shear waves above a critical wave-vector in liquids, thus giving the first formal derivation of the phenomenon in terms of fundamental symmetries. The same picture provides also a theoretical explanation of the corresponding "positive sound dispersion" phenomenon for longitudinal sound. Importantly, accordingly to our theory, the main collective relaxation timescale of a liquid or a glass (known as the $α$ relaxation for the latter) is given by the phase relaxation time, which is not necessarily related to the Maxwell time. Finally, we build a non-equilibrium effective action using the in-in formalism defined on the Schwinger-Keldysh contour, that further supports the emerging picture. In summary, our work suggests that the fundamental difference between solids, fluids and glasses has to be identified with the associated generalized higher-from global symmetries and their topological structure, and that the Burgers vector for the displacement fields serves as a suitable topological order parameter distinguishing the solid (ordered) phase and the amorphous ones (fluids, glasses).

cond-mat.soft↗
arXiv2021

A Holographic Superfluid Symphony

We study the hydrodynamic excitations of backreacted holographic superfluids by computing the full set of quasinormal modes (QNMs) at finite momentum and matching them to the existing hydrodynamic theory of superfluids. Additionally, we analyze the behavior of the low-energy excitations in real frequency and complex momentum, going beyond the standard QNM picture. Finally, we carry out a novel type of study of the model by computing the support of the hydrodynamic modes across the phase diagram. We achieve this by determining the support of the corresponding QNMs on the different operators in the dual theory, both in complex frequency and complex momentum space. From the support, we are able to reconstruct the hydrodynamic dispersion relations using the hydrodynamic constitutive relations. Our analysis rules out a role-reversal phenomenon between first and second sound in this model, contrary to results obtained in a weakly coupled field theory framework.

hep-th↗
arXiv2021

What's inside a hairy black hole in massive gravity?

In the context of massive gravity theories, we study holographic flows driven by a relevant scalar operator and interpolating between a UV 3-dimensional CFT and a trans-IR Kasner universe. For a large class of scalar potentials, the Cauchy horizon never forms in presence of a non-trivial scalar hair, although, in absence of it, the black hole solution has an inner horizon due to the finite graviton mass. We show that the instability of the Cauchy horizon triggered by the scalar field is associated to a rapid collapse of the Einstein-Rosen bridge. The corresponding flows run smoothly through the event horizon and at late times end in a spacelike singularity at which the asymptotic geometry takes a general Kasner form dominated by the scalar hair kinetic term. Interestingly, we discover deviations from the simple Kasner universe whenever the potential terms become larger than the kinetic one. Finally, we study the effects of the scalar deformation and the graviton mass on the Kasner singularity exponents and show the relationship between the Kasner exponents and the entanglement and butterfly velocities probing the black hole dynamics. Differently from the holographic superconductor case, we can prove explicitly that Josephson oscillations in the interior of the BH are absent.

hep-th↗
arXiv2021

Plasticity in amorphous solids is mediated by topological defects in the displacement field

The microscopic mechanism by which amorphous solids yield plastically under an externally applied stress or deformation has remained elusive in spite of enormous research activity in recent years. Most approaches have attempted to identify atomic-scale structural "defects" or spatio-temporal correlations in the undeformed glass that may trigger plastic instability. In contrast, here we show that the topological defects which correlate with plastic instability can be identified, not in the static structure of the glass, but rather in the nonaffine displacement field under deformation. These dislocation-like topological defects (DTDs) can be quantitatively characterized in terms of Burgers circuits (and the resulting Burgers vectors) which are constructed on the microscopic nonaffine displacement field. We demonstrate that (i) DTDs are the manifestation of incompatibility of deformation in glasses as a result of violation of Cauchy-Born rules (nonaffinity); (ii) the resulting average Burgers vector displays peaks in correspondence of major plastic events, including a spectacular non-local peak at the yielding transition, which results from self-organization into shear bands due to the attractive interaction between anti-parallel DTDs; (iii) application of Schmid's law to the DTDs leads to prediction of shear bands at 45 degrees for uniaxial deformations, as widely observed in experiments and simulations.

cond-mat.soft↗