arXiv subjects

Pavel Castro-Villarreal

Publications and source records attributed to Pavel Castro-Villarreal.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Curvature-Controlled Infrared Regularization of Crystalline Membranes

We show that negative Gaussian curvature regularizes the infrared sector of crystalline membranes. In a covariant formulation of embedded elasticity, the Green strain contains a symmetry-required linear coupling between the normal phonon field and extrinsic curvature. Integrating out the in-plane phonons converts this coupling into a finite quadratic contribution to the inverse flexural response. Anomalous roughening is thereby replaced by curvature-controlled saturation, and the mechanism survives on minimal hyperbolic patches. Hyperbolic geometry preempts anomalous elasticity before the flat infrared regime is reached, implying the absence of a crumpling phase at the harmonic level. The same Gaussian-order coupling admits sound propagation in the infrared.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2026

Mirror transitions in diffusion with stochastic resetting confined on a ring

Diffusion with an incorporated resetting mechanism provides a reference framework for modeling a wide range of natural phenomena. Within this framework, the optimal resetting rate is a key quantity that arises from the optimization of the mean first-passage time. While substantial work has focused on the study of the optimal resetting rate in unbounded one dimensional domains, little is still known about the optimization of the mean first-passage time in bounded systems, in particular when multiple resetting sites are available. In this work, we consider a particle diffusing along a circular circumference and under resetting, with an absorbing target site at a fixed location. Using the appropriate free propagator for this system, we compute the Laplace transform of the survival probability when resetting occurs to multiple sites drawn from an arbitrary probability density function. We also calculate the mean first-passage time at the target site, and study the dependence of the optimal resetting rate in terms of the relevant parameters of the system in a two-resetting site configuration. Depending on the arc length between one of the resetting sites and the absorbing target site, and the weight of the remaining resetting site, the optimal resetting rate can exhibit abrupt ("first order'') and continuous ("second order'') transitions. Moreover, the behavior of the mean first-passage time is rich enough to allow both critical and tri-critical points to exist in the parameter space. All the transitions have "mirror symmetry'' around the selected target site and its corresponding diametrically opposite site.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2024

Graphene shapes from quantum elasticity

Temperature constraints are highly desirable in the experimental setup when seeking the synthesis of new carbon structures. Fluctuations of the Dirac field result in temperature-dependent corrections to the Helfrich-Canham formulation, which governs the classical elasticity of the graphene membrane at equilibrium. Here, we examine the emergent shapes allowed by the effective model up to quadratic order in Ricci curvature and discuss the constraints required to observe them. We determine the mechanical stability conditions and provide a phase diagram characterized by the appearance of a critical temperature $T_{\rm c}$ that distinguishes between carbon nanotube and fullerene phases. The observation of minimal and developable surfaces is anticipated in the high- and low-temperature regimes, respectively. Additionally, a Beltrami trumpet surface is forecasted when the membrane is subjected to an external source balancing out internal Helfrich stresses.

hep-th↗

arXiv2024

Curved graphene: a possible answer to the problem of graphene's diverging magnetic susceptibility

A study of strongly curved graphene magnetization and magnetic susceptibility is carried out. Through a Dirac model complemented with a tight-binding model analysis, we are able to show that mechanical deformations solve the long-standing problem of graphene's theoretically calculated diamagnetic divergence at low temperatures. This suggests that corrugations and mechanical defects in graphene are the cause of finite experimentally measurable magnetic susceptibility. Furthermore, a mechanical effect is also found due to an electronic contribution, which produces a pseudo-de Haas van Alphen (dHvA) effect. This effect is related to oscillating (electronic) forces that oppose deformations; these forces are divergent in flat graphene, indicating that graphene (without substrate) achieves mechanical equilibrium by corrugations. In addition, paramagnetism is predicted for graphene with negative curvature under strong magnetic fields.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2023

Covariant description of the colloidal dynamics on curved manifolds

Brownian motion is a universal characteristic of colloidal particles embedded in a host medium, and it is the fingerprint of molecular transport or diffusion, a generic feature of relevance not only in Physics but also in several branches of Science and Engineering. Since its discovery, Brownian motion or colloid dynamics has been important in elucidating the connection between the molecular details of the diffusing macromolecule and the macroscopic information of the host medium. However, colloid dynamics is far from being completely understood. For example, the diffusion of non-spherical colloids and the effects of geometry on the dynamics of either passive or active colloids are a few representative cases that are part of the current challenges in Soft Matter Physics. In this contribution, we take a step forward to introduce a covariant description of the colloid dynamics in curved spaces. This formalism will allow us to understand several phenomena, for instance, the effects of curvature on the kinetics during spinodal decomposition and the thermodynamic properties of the colloidal dispersion, just to mention a few examples. This theoretical framework will also serve as the starting point to highlight the role of geometry on colloid dynamics, an aspect that is of paramount importance to understanding more complex phenomena, such as the diffusive mechanisms of proteins embedded in cell membranes.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2022

Klein paradox between transmitted and reflected Dirac waves on Bour surfaces

It is supposed the existence of a curved graphene sheet with the geometry of a Bour surface $B_{n}$, such as the catenoid (or helicoid), $B_{0}$, and the classical Enneper surface, $B_{2}$, among others. In particular, in this work, the propagation of the electronic degrees of freedom on these surfaces is studied based on the Dirac equation. As a consequence of the polar geometry of $B_{n}$, it is found that the geometry of the surface causes the Dirac fermions to move as if they would be subjected to an external potential coupled to a spin-orbit term. The geometry-induced potential is interpreted as a barrier potential, which is asymptotically zero. Furthermore, the behaviour of asymptotic Dirac states and scattering states are studied through the Lippmann-Schwinger formalism. It is found that for surfaces $B_{0}$ and $B_{1}$, the total transmission phenomenon is found for sufficiently large values of energy, while for surfaces $B_{n}$, with $n\geq 2$, it is shown that there is an energy point $E_{K}$ where Klein's paradox is realized, while for energy values $E\gg E_{K}$ it is found that the conductance of the hypothetical material is completely suppressed, $\mathcal{G}(E)\to 0$.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2022

Magnetized granular particles running and tumbling on $S^{1}$

It has been shown that a nonvibrated magnetic granular system, when it is feeded by means an altenating magnetic field, behaves with most of the distinctive physical features of active matter systems. In this work we focus our attention on the simplest granular system composed by a single magnetized spherical particle allocated in a quasi one-dimensional circular channel that receives energy from a magnetic field reservoir and transduces it into a running and tumbling motion. The theoretical analysis based on the run and tumble model on a circle of radius R forecasts the existence of a dynamical phase transition between an erratic motion (disordered phase) when the characteristic persistence length of the run and tumble motion, $\ell_{c} < R/2$, to a persistent motion (ordered phase) when $\ell_{c}> R/2$. It is found that the limiting behaviours of these phases correspond to a Brownian motion on the circle and a simple uniform circular motion, respectively. It is qualitatively shown that the lower magnetization of a particle, the larger persistence lenght is. It is so at least within the experimental limit of validity of our experiments. Our results show a very good agreement between theory and experiment.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2021

Generalized persistence dynamics for active motion

We analyze the statistical physics of self-propelled particles from a general theoretical framework that properly describes the most salient characteristic of active motion, $persistence$, in arbitrary spatial dimensions. Such a framework allows the development of a Smoluchowski-like equation for the probability density of finding a particle at a given position and time, without assuming an explicit orientational dynamics of the self-propelling velocity as Langevin-like equation-based models do. Also, the Brownian motion due to thermal fluctuations and the active one due to a general intrinsic persistent motion of the particle are taken into consideration on an equal footing. The persistence of motion is introduced in our formalism in the form of a \emph{two-time memory function}, $K(t,t^{\prime})$. We focus on the consequences when $K(t,t^{\prime})\sim (t/t^{\prime})^{-η}\exp[-Γ(t-t^{\prime})]$, $Γ$ being the characteristic persistence time, and show that it precisely describes a variety of active motion patterns characterized by $η$. We find analytical expressions for the experimentally obtainable intermediate scattering function, the time dependence of the mean-squared displacement, and the kurtosis.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2021

Single-file dynamics of colloids in circular channels: time scales, scaling laws and their universality

In colloidal systems, Brownian motion emerges from the massive separation of time and length scales associated to characteristic dynamics of the solute and solvent constituents. This separation of scales produces several temporal regimes in the colloidal dynamics when combined with the effects of the interaction between the particles, confinement conditions, and state variables, such as density and temperature. Some examples are the short- and long-time regimes in two- and three-dimensional open systems and the diffusive and sub-diffusive regimes observed in the single-file dynamics along a straight line. This work studies the way in which a confining geometry induces new time scales. We report on the dynamics of interacting colloidal particles moving along a circle by combining a heuristic theoretical analysis of the involved scales, Brownian Dynamics computer simulations, and video-microscopy experiments with paramagnetic colloids confined to lithographic circular channels subjected to an external magnetic field. The systems display four temporal regimes in this order: one-dimensional free diffusion, single-file sub-diffusion, free-cluster rotational diffusion, and the expected saturation due to the confinement. We also report analytical expressions for the mean-square angular displacement and crossover times obtained from scaling arguments, which accurately reproduce both experiments and simulations. Our generic approach can be used to predict the long-time dynamics of many other confined physical systems.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2021

Single file diffusion meets Feynman path integral

The path-integral representation of Smoluchowski equation is exploited to explore the stochastic dynamics of a tagged Brownian particle within an interacting system where hydrodynamic effects are neglected. In particular, this formalism is applied to a particle system confined to a one-dimensional infinite line aiming to investigate the single-file diffusion phenomenon in this scenario. In particular, the path-integral method is contrasted against the standard many-particle Langevin equation for a system of interacting Brownian particles in a harmonic chain model, exhibiting excellent agreement; in this case of study a formula defined on the whole time-scale for the mean-square displacement, in the thermodynamic limit, is found for the tracer particle in terms of Bessel functions, recovering also the single-file regime. Additionally, a Brownian particle system with paramagnetic interactions is considered near crystallization where the total interaction potential is roughly a harmonic potential. Taking advantage of the path-integral formalism a simple perturbation treatment is carried out to investigate the single file diffusion behavior when temperature is increased away from the crystal phase.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2021

Semiflexible polymer enclosed in a 3D compact domain

The conformational states of a semiflexible polymer enclosed in a volume $V:=\ell^{3}$ are studied as stochastic realizations of paths using the stochastic curvature approach developed in [Rev. E 100, 012503 (2019)], in the regime whenever $3\ell/\ell_ {p}> 1$, where $\ell_{p}$ is the persistence length. The cases of a semiflexible polymer enclosed in a cube and sphere are considered. In these cases, we explore the Spakowitz-Wang type polymer shape transition, where the critical persistence length distinguishes between an oscillating and a monotonic phase at the level of the mean-square end-to-end distance. This shape transition provides evidence of a universal signature of the behavior of a semiflexible polymer confined in a compact domain.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2018

Stochastic curvature of enclosed semiflexible polymers

The conformational states of a semiflexible polymer enclosed in a compact domain of typical size $a$ are studied as stochastic realizations of paths defined by the Frenet equations under the assumption that stochastic "curvature" satisfies a white noise fluctuation theorem. This approach allows us to derive the Hermans-Ullman equation, where we exploit a multipolar decomposition that allows us to show that the positional probability density function is well described by a Telegrapher's equation whenever $2a/\ell_{p}>1$, where $\ell_{p}$ is the persistence length. We also develop a Monte Carlo algorithm for use in computer simulations in order to study the conformational states in a compact domain. In addition, the case of a semiflexible polymer enclosed in a square domain of side $a$ is presented as an explicit example of the formulated theory and algorithm. In this case, we show the existence of a polymer shape transition similar to the one found by Spakowitz and Wang [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 91}, 2 (2003)] where in this case the critical persistence length is $\ell^{*}_{p}\simeq a/8$ such that the mean-square end-to-end distance exhibits an oscillating behavior for values $\ell_{p}>\ell^{*}_{p}$, whereas for $\ell_{p}<\ell^{*}_{p}$ it behaves monotonically increasing.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2017

Active motion on curved surfaces

A theoretical analysis of active motion on curved surfaces is presented in terms of a generalization of the Telegrapher's equation. Such generalized equation is explicitly derived as the polar approximation of the hierarchy of equations obtained from the corresponding Fokker-Planck equation of active particles diffusing on curved surfaces. The general solution to the generalized telegrapher's equation is given for a pulse with vanishing current as initial data. Expressions for the probability density and the mean squared geodesic-displacement are given in the limit of weak curvature. As an explicit example of the formulated theory, the case of active motion on the sphere is presented, where oscillations observed in the mean squared geodesic-displacement are explained.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2016

Pseudo-magnetic field in curved graphene

The general covariance of the Dirac equation is exploited in order to explore the curvature effects appearing in the electronic properties of graphene. Two physical situations are then considered: the weak curvature regime, with $\left|R\right|<1/L^2$, and the strong curvature regime, with $1/L^2\ll \left|R\right|<1/d^2$, where $R$ is the scalar curvature, $L$ is a typical size of a sample of graphene and $d$ is a typical size of a local domain where the curvature is pronounced. In the first scenario, we found that the curvature transforms the conical nature of the dispersion relation due to a shift in the momentum space of the Dirac cone. In the second scenario, the curvature in the local domain affects the charge carriers in such a manner that bound states emerge; these states are declared to be pseudo-Landau states because of the analogy with the well known Landau problem; here the curvature emulates the role of the magnetic field. Seeking more tangible curvature effects we calculate e.g. the electronic internal energy and heat capacity of graphene in the small curvature regime and give an expresssion for the ground state energy in the strong curvature regime.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2014

Intrinsic and extrinsic measure for Brownian motion

Based upon the Smoluchowski equation on curved manifolds three physical observables are considered for the Brownian displacement, namely, geodesic displacement, $s$, Euclidean displacement, $δ{\bf R}$, and projected displacement $δ{\bf R}_{\perp}$. The Weingarten-Gauss equations are used to calculate the mean-square Euclidean displacements in the short-time regime. Our findings show that from an extrinsic point of view the geometry of the space affects the Brownian motion in such a way that the particle's diffusion is decelerated, contrasting with the intrinsic point of view where dynamics is controlled by the sign of the Gaussian curvature [J. Stat. Mech. P08006 (2010)]. Furthermore, it is possible to give exact formulae for $\left<δ{\bf R}\right>$ and $\left<δ{\bf R}^{2}\right>$ on spheres and minimal surfaces, which are valid for all values of time. In the latter case, surprisingly, Brownian motion corresponds to the usual diffusion in flat geometries, albeit minimal surfaces have non-zero Gaussian curvature. Finally, the two-dimensional case is emphasized due to its close relation to surface self-diffusion in fluid membranes.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2013

Brownian motion of free particles on curved surfaces

Brownian motion of free particles on curved surfaces is studied by means of the Langevin equation written in Riemann normal coordinates. In the diffusive regime we find the same physical behavior as the one described by the diffusion equation on curved manifolds [J. Stat. Mech. (2010) P08006]. Therefore, we use the latter in order to analytically investigate the whole diffusive dynamics in compact geometries, namely, the circle and the sphere. Our findings are corroborated by means of Brownian dynamics computer simulations based on a heuristic adaptation of the Ermak-McCammon algorithm to the Langevin equation along the curves, as well as on the standard algorithm, but for particles subjected to an external harmonic potential, deep and narrow, that possesses a "Mexican hat" shape, whose minima define the desired surface. The short-time diffusive dynamics is found to occur on the tangential plane. Besides, at long times and compact geometries, the mean-square displacement moves towards a saturation value given only by the geometrical properties of the surface.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2012

Observables for Brownian motion on manifolds

We study the geometrical influence on the Brownian motion over curved manifolds. We focus on the following intriguing question: what observables are appropriated to measure Brownian motion in curved manifolds? In particular, for those d-dimensional manifolds embedded in $\mathbb{R}^{d+1}$ we define three quantities for the displacement's notion, namely, the geodesic displacement, $s$, the Euclidean displacement, $\deltaR$, and the projected Euclidean displacement $\deltaR_{\perp}$. In addition, we exploit the Weingarten-Gauss equations in order to calculate the mean-square Euclidean displacement's in the short-time regime. Besides, it is possible to prove exact formulas for these expectation values, at all times, in spheres and minimal hypersurfaces. In the latter case, Brownian motion corresponds to the typical diffusion in flat geometries, albeit minimal hypersurfaces are not intrinsically flat. Finally, the two-dimensional case is emphasized since its relation to the lateral diffusion in biological membranes.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2010

Brownian motion meets Riemann curvature

The general covariance of the diffusion equation is exploited in order to explore the curvature effects appearing on brownian motion over a d-dimensional curved manifold. We use the local frame defined by the so called Riemann normal coordinates to derive a general formula for the mean-square geodesic distance (MSD) at the short-time regime. This formula is written in terms of $O(d)$ invariants that depend on the Riemann curvature tensor. We study the n-dimensional sphere case to validate these results. We also show that the diffusion for positive constant curvature is slower than the diffusion in a plane space, while the diffusion for negative constant curvature turns out to be faster. Finally the two-dimensional case is emphasized, as it is relevant for the single particle diffusion on biomembranes.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗