arXiv subjects

Ramgopal Agrawal

Publications and source records attributed to Ramgopal Agrawal.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Critical quench dynamics of Wegner's $\mathbb{Z}_2$ gauge model: a geometric perspective

Wegner's $\mathbb{Z}_2$ gauge model is the earliest formulation of pure lattice gauge theory and predicts the topological nature of the confinement-deconfinement transition. In three dimensions ($D=3$), the equilibrium critical behavior of the model is understood in terms of geometrically defined objects, namely loop excitations and Fortuin-Kasteleyn (FK) clusters. This work investigates the critical quench dynamics of this model from a geometric perspective, following quenches from both a high-temperature percolation phase and the zero-temperature ground state. Using time-dependent finite-size scaling analysis, we find that the critical non-equilibrium relaxation of the percolation order parameter is governed by a dynamical exponent $z_{\rm p} \simeq 2.6$, consistent with that associated with the energy density, $z_{\rm c}$. Importantly, the value of $z_{\rm p}$ is robust with respect to the initial quench condition and the choice of geometrical objects. Furthermore, we provide a detailed characterization of the kinetics of different geometrical objects during the evolution from the percolation phase. Notably, we observe that the quench dynamics obeys dynamic scaling in terms of a growing lengthscale, $\xi_{\rm p}(t) \sim t^{1/z_{\rm p}}$, despite the absence of a local order parameter.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2026

Lack of self-averaging of the critical internal energy in a weakly-disordered Baxter model

We investigate the first two moments of the critical internal energy $E$ in a weakly disordered two-dimensional Baxter eight-vertex model as a function of the system size $L$, evaluated at the pseudo-critical point. Disorder is introduced via an equivalent representation of the pure eight-vertex model in terms of two ferromagnetic Ising models coupled by a four-spin interaction of strength $g_0$, where the Ising couplings consist of a uniform ferromagnetic part $J>0$ supplemented by weak Gaussian spatial disorder. In the critical regime, the model is formulated in terms of interacting Grassmann-Majorana spinor fields with quartic interactions and analyzed, for small positive $g_0$, using a combination of replica and renormalization-group methods. We also run extensive numerical simulations measuring the critical internal energy. Our results show that its relative variance increases with $L$ and approaches a finite constant as $L \to \infty$ for both $\pm g_0$. Hence, fluctuations remain relevant independently of the sign of $g_0$ (and thus of the specific-heat exponent), implying a lack of self-averaging of both the critical internal energy and the free energy. Consequently, reliable estimates of these quantities require averaging over many disorder realizations. In addition, we numerically confirm earlier predictions concerning the absence of self-averaging of the critical internal energy in the disordered Ising model.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2026

Nonconvex optimization methods for ground states in disordered continuous-spin models

This work explores the global optimization problem of finding lowest-energy configurations in disordered continuous-spin models from statistical physics, with a particular focus on the random field XY model. Due to an extremely non-convex nature of the associated energy landscape, this problem remains highly challenging. From an optimization perspective, we reformulate the traditional angular Hamiltonian as a constrained problem on the Cartesian product of spheres, allowing the application of Riemannian optimization techniques, which show better computational performance. We design a family of Basin Hopping algorithms whose perturbation mechanisms are specifically designed to exploit the structure of the underlying physical model, and further extend them within a Population Basin Hopping framework. The proposed methods are evaluated against optimization algorithms widely used in computational physics. The proposed variants turn out to be the most effective method in the comparison, consistently attaining lower-energy configurations within the same computational budget. This work establishes a robust link between continuous-spin systems and continuous global optimization, providing a high-performance benchmark for exploring complex energy landscapes.

math.OC↗

arXiv2025

The geometric phase transition of the three-dimensional $\mathbb{Z}_2$ lattice gauge model

After fifty years of lattice gauge theories (LGTs), the nature of the transition between their topological phases (confinement/deconfinement) remains challenging due to the absence of a local order parameter. In this work, we conduct a percolation analysis of Wegner's three-dimensional $\mathbb{Z}_2$ lattice gauge model using intensive Monte Carlo simulations and finite-size scaling, offering fresh insights into the topological phase transitions of gauge-invariant systems. We demonstrate that, regardless of the connection rules, geometrical loops, constructed by piercing excited plaquettes percolate precisely at the thermal critical point $T_{\rm c}$, with critical exponents coinciding with those of the loop representation of the dual 3D Ising model. Further, we construct Fortuin-Kasteleyn (FK) clusters in a random-cluster representation, showing that they also percolate at $T_{\rm c}$, enabling access to all thermal critical exponents. Strikingly, the Binder cumulants of the percolation order parameters for both loops and FK clusters reveal a pseudo-first-order transition. This work sheds new light on the critical behavior of pure LGTs, with potential implications for condensed matter systems and quantum error correction.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2025

Domain Growth in Long-range Ising Models with Disorder

Recent advances have highlighted the rich low-temperature kinetics of the long-range Ising model (LRIM). This study investigates domain growth in an LRIM with quenched disorder, following a deep low-temperature quench. Specifically, we consider an Ising model with interactions that decay as $J(r) \sim r^{-(D+σ)}$, where $D$ is the spatial dimension and $σ> 0$ is the power-law exponent. The quenched disorder is introduced via random pinning fields at each lattice site. For nearest-neighbor models, we expect that domain growth during activated dynamics is logarithmic in nature: $R(t) \sim (\ln t)^α$, with growth exponent $α>0$. Here, we examine how long-range interactions influence domain growth with disorder in dimensions $D = 1$ and $D = 2$. In $D = 1$, logarithmic growth is found to persist for various $σ> 0$. However, in $D = 2$, the dynamics is more complex due to the non-trivial interplay between extended interactions, disorder, and thermal fluctuations.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2024

Dynamical critical behavior on the Nishimori point of frustrated Ising models

By considering the quench dynamics of two-dimensional frustrated Ising models through numerical simulations, we investigate the dynamical critical behavior on the multicritical Nishimori point (NP). We calculate several dynamical critical exponents, namely, the relaxation exponent $z_{\rm c}$, the autocorrelation exponent $λ_{\rm c}$, and the persistence exponent $θ_{\rm c}$, after a quench from the high temperature phase to the NP. We confirm their universality with respect to the lattice geometry and bond distribution. For a quench from a power-law correlated initial state to the NP, the aging dynamics are much slower. We also look up the issue of multifractality during the critical dynamics by investigating different moments of the spatial correlation function. We observe a single growth law for all the length scales extracted from different moments, indicating that the equilibrium multifractality at the NP does not affect the dynamics.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2023

Nonequilibrium critical dynamics of the two-dimensional $\pm J$ Ising model

The $\pm J$ Ising model is a simple frustrated spin model, where the exchange couplings independently take the discrete value $-J$ with probability $p$ and $+J$ with probability $1-p$. It is especially appealing due to its connection to quantum error correcting codes. Here, we investigate the nonequilibrium critical behavior of the two-dimensional $\pm J$ Ising model, after a quench from different initial conditions to a critical point $T_c(p)$ on the paramagnetic-ferromagnetic (PF) transition line, especially, above, below and at the multicritical Nishimori point (NP). The dynamical critical exponent $z_c$ seems to exhibit non-universal behavior for quenches above and below the NP, which is identified as a pre-asymptotic feature due to the repulsive fixed point at the NP. Whereas, for a quench directly to the NP, the dynamics reaches the asymptotic regime with $z_c \simeq 6.02(6)$. We also consider the geometrical spin clusters (of like spin signs) during the critical dynamics. Each universality class on the PF line is uniquely characterized by the stochastic Loewner evolution (SLE) with corresponding parameter $κ$. Moreover, for the critical quenches from the paramagnetic phase, the model, irrespective of the frustration, exhibits an emergent critical percolation topology at the large length scales.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2023

Ordering Dynamics of the Random Field Long-range Ising Model in One Dimension

We investigate the influence of long-range (LR) interactions on the phase ordering dynamics of the one-dimensional random field Ising model (RFIM). Unlike the usual RFIM, a spin interacts with all other spins through a ferromagnetic coupling that decays as $r^{-(1+σ)}$, where $r$ is the distance between two spins. In the absence of LR interactions, the size of coarsening domains $R(t)$ exhibits a crossover from pure system behavior $R(t) \sim t^{1/2}$ to an asymptotic regime characterized by logarithmic growth: $R(t) \sim (\ln t)^2$. The LR interactions affect the pre-asymptotic regime, which now exhibits ballistic growth $R(t) \sim t$, followed by $σ$-dependent growth $R(t) \sim t^{1/(1+σ)}$. Additionally, the LR interactions also affect the asymptotic logarithmic growth, which becomes $R(t) \sim (\ln t)^{α(σ)}$ with $α(σ) < 2$. Thus, LR interactions lead to faster growth than for the nearest-neighbor system at short times. Unexpectedly, this driving force causes a slowing-down of the dynamics ($α< 2$) in the asymptotic logarithmic regime. This is explained in terms of a non-trivial competition between the pinning force caused by the random field and the driving force introduced by LR interactions. We also study the spatial correlation function and the autocorrelation function of the magnetization field. The former exhibits superuniversality for all $σ$, i.e., a scaling function that is independent of the disorder strength. The same holds for the autocorrelation function when $σ<1$, whereas a signature of the violation of superuniversality is seen for $σ>1$.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2022

Asymptotic States of Ising Ferromagnets with Long-range Interactions

It is known that, after a quench to zero temperature ($T=0$), two-dimensional ($d=2$) Ising ferromagnets with short-range interactions do not always relax to the ordered state. They can also fall in infinitely long-lived striped metastable states with a finite probability. In this paper, we study how the abundance of striped states is affected by long-range interactions. We investigate the relaxation of $d=2$ Ising ferromagnets with power-law interactions by means of Monte Carlo simulations at both $T=0$ and $T \ne 0$. For $T=0$ and the finite system size, the striped metastable states are suppressed by long-range interactions. In the thermodynamic limit, their occurrence probabilities are consistent with the short-range case. For $T \ne 0$, the final state is always ordered. Further, the equilibration occurs at earlier times with an increase in the strength of the interactions.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2021

Enhancement in Breaking of Time-reversal Invariance in the Quantum Kicked Rotor

We study the breaking of time-reversal invariance (TRI) by the application of a magnetic field in the quantum kicked rotor (QKR), using Izrailev's finite-dimensional model. There is a continuous crossover from TRI to time-reversal non-invariance (TRNI) in the spectral and eigenvector fluctuations of the QKR. We show that the properties of this TRI $\rightarrow$ TRNI transition depend on $α^2/N$, where $α$ is the chaos parameter of the QKR and $N$ is the dimensionality of the evolution operator matrix. For $α^2/N \gtrsim N$, the transition coincides with that in random matrix theory. For $α^2/N < N$, the transition shows a marked deviation from random matrix theory. Further, the speed of this transition as a function of the magnetic field is significantly enhanced as $α^2/N$ decreases.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Domain Growth and Aging in the Random Field XY Model: A Monte Carlo Study

We use large-scale Monte Carlo simulations to obtain comprehensive results for domain growth and aging in the random field XY model in dimensions $d=2,3$. After a deep quench from the paramagnetic phase, the system orders locally via annihilation of topological defects, i.e., vortices and anti-vortices. The evolution morphology of the system is characterized by the correlation function and the structure factor of the magnetization field. We find that these quantities obey dynamical scaling, and their scaling function is independent of the disorder strength $Δ$. However, the scaling form of the autocorrelation function is found to be dependent on $Δ$, i.e., superuniversality is violated. The large-$t$ behavior of the autocorrelation function is explored by studying aging and autocorrelation exponents. We also investigate the characteristic growth law $L(t,Δ)$ in $d=2,3$, which shows an asymptotic logarithmic behavior: $L(t,Δ) \sim Δ^{-φ} (\ln t)^{1/ψ}$, with exponents $φ, ψ> 0$.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2020

Kinetics of the Two-dimensional Long-range Ising Model at Low Temperatures

We study the low-temperature domain growth kinetics of the two-dimensional Ising model with long-range coupling: $J(r) \sim r^{-(d+σ)}$, where $d=2$ is the dimensionality. According to the Bray-Rutenberg predictions, the exponent $σ$ controls the algebraic growth in time of the characteristic domain size $L(t)$, $L(t) \sim t^{1/z}$, with growth exponent $z=1+σ$ for $σ<1$ and $z=2$ for $σ>1$. These results hold for quenches to a non-zero temperature $T>0$ below the critical temperature $T_c$. We show that, in the case of quenches to $T=0$, due to the long-range interactions, the interfaces experience a drift which makes the dynamics of the system peculiar. More precisely we find that in this case the growth exponent takes the value $z=4/3$, independent of $σ$, showing that it is a universal quantity. We support our claim by means of extended Monte Carlo simulations and analytical arguments for simplified models.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗