arXiv subjects

Yonathan Shapir

Publications and source records attributed to Yonathan Shapir.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2022

Sociophysics: a new approach of sociological collective behaviour. I. Mean-behaviour description of a strike

A new approach to the understanding of sociological collective behaviour, based on the framework of critical phenomena in physics, is presented. The first step consists of constructing a simple mean-behaviour model and applying it to a strike process in a plant. The model comprises only a limited number of parameters characteristic of the plant considered and of the society. A dissatisfaction function is introduced with a basic principle stating that the stable state of the plant is a state, which minimizes this function. It is found that the plant can be in one of two phases: the "collective phase" and the "individual phase". These two phases are separated by a critical point, in the neighbourhood of which the system is very sensitive to small changes in the parameters. The collective phase includes a region of parameters for which the system has two possible states: a "work state" and a "strike state". The actual state of the system depends on the parameters and on the "history of the system". The irreversibility of the transition between these two states indicates the existence of metastable states. For these particular states, the effect of small groups of workers or of a small perturbation in the system results in drastic changes in the state of the plant. Other non-trivial implications of the model, as well as possible extensions and refinements of the approach, are discussed.

physics.soc-ph↗

arXiv2006

Fractal-Mound Growth of Pentacene Thin Films

The growth mechanism of pentacene film formation on SiO2 substrate was investigated with a combination of atomic force microscopy measurements and numerical modeling. In addition to the diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) that has already been shown to govern the growth of the ordered pentacene thin films, it is shown here for the first time that the Schwoebel barrier effect steps in and disrupts the desired epitaxial growth for the subsequent layers, leading to mound growth. The terraces of the growing mounds have a fractal dimension of 1.6, indicating a lateral DLA shape. This novel growth morphology thus combines horizontal DLA-like growth with vertical mound growth.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2002

Scaling behavior of randomly alternating surface growth processes

The scaling properties of the roughness of surfaces grown by two different processes randomly alternating in time, are addressed. The duration of each application of the two primary processes is assumed to be independently drawn from given distribution functions. We analytically address processes in which the two primary processes are linear and extend the conclusions to non-linear processes as well. The growth scaling exponent of the average roughness with the number of applications is found to be determined by the long time tail of the distribution functions. For processes in which both mean application times are finite, the scaling behavior follows that of the corresponding cyclical process in which the uniform application time of each primary process is given by its mean. If the distribution functions decay with a small enough power law for the mean application times to diverge, the growth exponent is found to depend continuously on this power law exponent. In contrast, the roughness exponent does not depend on the timing of the applications. The analytical results are supported by numerical simulations of various pairs of primary processes and with different distribution functions. Self-affine surfaces grown by two randomly alternating processes are common in nature (e.g., due to randomly changing weather conditions) and in man-made devices such as rechargeable batteries.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2001

Disorder and Funneling Effects on Exciton Migration in Tree-Like Dendrimers

The center-bound excitonic diffusion on dendrimers subjected to several types of non-homogeneous funneling potentials, is considered. We first study the mean-first passage time (MFPT) for diffusion in a linear potential with different types of correlated and uncorrelated random perturbations. Increasing the funneling force, there is a transition from a phase in which the MFPT grows exponentially with the number of generations $g$, to one in which it does so linearly. Overall the disorder slows down the diffusion, but the effect is much more pronounced in the exponential compared to the linear phase. When the disorder gives rise to uncorrelated random forces there is, in addition, a transition as the temperature $T$ is lowered. This is a transition from a high-$T$ regime in which all paths contribute to the MFPT to a low-$T$ regime in which only a few of them do. We further explore the funneling within a realistic non-linear potential for extended dendrimers in which the dependence of the lowest excitonic energy level on the segment length was derived using the Time-Dependent Hatree-Fock approximation. Under this potential the MFPT grows initially linearly with $g$ but crosses-over, beyond a molecular-specific and $T$-dependent optimal size, to an exponential increase. Finally we consider geometrical disorder in the form of a small concentration of long connections as in the {\it small world} model. Beyond a critical concentration of connections the MFPT decreases significantly and it changes to a power-law or to a logarithmic scaling with $g$, depending on the strength of the funneling force.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2001

Maximal Height Scaling of Kinetically Growing Surfaces

The scaling properties of the maximal height of a growing self-affine surface with a lateral extent $L$ are considered. In the late-time regime its value measured relative to the evolving average height scales like the roughness: $h^{*}_{L} \sim L^α$. For large values its distribution obeys $\log{P(h^{*}_{L})} \sim -A({h^{*}_{L}}/L^α)^{a}$, charaterized by the exponential-tail exponent $a$. In the early-time regime where the roughness grows as $t^β$, we find $h^{*}_{L} \sim t^β[\ln{L}-({β\over α})\ln{t} + C]^{1/b}$ where either $b=a$ or $b$ is the corresponding exponent of the velocity distribution. These properties are derived from scaling and extreme-values arguments. They are corroborated by numerical simulations and supported by exact results for surfaces in 1D with the asymptotic behavior of a Brownian path.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2001

Roughness Scaling in Cyclical Surface Growth

The scaling behavior of cyclical growth (e.g. cycles of alternating deposition and desorption primary processes) is investigated theoretically and probed experimentally. The scaling approach to kinetic roughening is generalized to cyclical processes by substituting the time by the number of cycles $n$. The roughness is predicted to grow as $n^β$ where $β$ is the cyclical growth exponent. The roughness saturates to a value which scales with the system size $L$ as $L^α$, where $α$ is the cyclical roughness exponent. The relations between the cyclical exponents and the corresponding exponents of the primary processes are studied. Exact relations are found for cycles composed of primary linear processes. An approximate renormalization group approach is introduced to analyze non-linear effects in the primary processes. The analytical results are backed by extensive numerical simulations of different pairs of primary processes, both linear and non-linear. Experimentally, silver surfaces are grown by a cyclical process composed of electrodeposition followed by 50% electrodissolution. The roughness is found to increase as a power-law of $n$, consistent with the scaling behavior anticipated theoretically. Potential applications of cyclical scaling include accelerated testing of rechargeable batteries, and improved chemotherapeutic treatment of cancerous tumors.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2000

Excitonic Funneling in Extended Dendrimers with Non-Linear and Random Potentials

The mean first passage time (MFPT) for photoexcitations diffusion in a funneling potential of artificial tree-like light-harvesting antennae (phenylacetylene dendrimers with generation-dependent segment lengths) is computed. Effects of the non-linearity of the realistic funneling potential and slow random solvent fluctuations considerably slow down the center-bound diffusion beyond a temperature-dependent optimal size. Diffusion on a disordered Cayley tree with a linear potential is investigated analytically. At low temperatures we predict a phase in which the MFPT is dominated by a few paths.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv1996

Continuous Versus First Order Transitions in Compressible Diluted Magnets

The interplay between disorder and compressibility in Ising magnets is studied. Contrary to pure systems in which a weak compressibility drives the transition first order, we find from a renormalization group analysis that it has no effect on disordered systems which keep undergoing continuous transition with rigid random-bond Ising model critical exponents. The mean field calculation exhibits a dilution-dependent tricritical point beyond which, at stronger compressibility the transition is first order. The different behavior of XY and Heisenberg magnets is discussed.

cond-mat↗

arXiv1994

Dynamics of Particles Deposition on a Disordered Substrate: II. Far-from Equilibrium Behavior. -

The deposition dynamics of particles (or the growth of a rigid crystal) on a disordered substrate at a finite deposition rate is explored. We begin with an equation of motion which includes, in addition to the disorder, the periodic potential due to the discrete size of the particles (or to the lattice structure of the crystal) as well as the term introduced by Kardar, Parisi, and Zhang (KPZ) to account for the lateral growth at a finite growth rate. A generating functional for the correlation and response functions of this process is derived using the approach of Martin, Sigga, and Rose. A consistent renormalized perturbation expansion to first order in the non-Gaussian couplings requires the calculation of diagrams up to three loops. To this order we show, for the first time for this class of models which violates the the fluctuation-dissipation theorem, that the theory is renormalizable. We find that the effects of the periodic potential and the disorder decay on very large scales and asymptotically the KPZ term dominates the behavior. However, strong non-trivial crossover effects are found for large intermediate scales.

cond-mat↗

arXiv1994

Dynamics of Particle Deposition on a Disordered Substrate: I. Near- Equilibrium Behavior

A growth model which describes the deposition of particles (or the growth of a rigid crystal) on a disordered substrate is investigated. The dynamic renormalization group is applied to the stochastic growth equation using the Martin, Sigga, and Rose formalism. The periodic potential and the quenched disorder, upon averaging, are combined into a single term in the generating functional. Changing the temperature (or the inherent noise of the deposition process) two different regimes with a transition between them at $T_{sr}$, are found: for $T>T_{sr}$ this term is irrelevant and the surface has the scaling properties of a surface growing on a flat substrate in the rough phase. The height-height correlations behave as $C(L,τ)\sim \ln [L f(τ/L^2)]$. While the linear response mobility is finite in this phase it does vanish as $(T-T_{sr})^{1.78}$ when $T\rightarrow T_{sr}^+$. For $T<T_{sr}$ there is a line of fixed-point for the coupling constant. The surface is super-rough: the equilibrium correlation functions behave as $(\ln L)^2$ while their short time dependence is $(\ln τ) ^2$ with a temperature dependent dynamic exponent $z=2[1+1.78(1-T/T_{sr})]$. While the linear response mobility vanishes on large length scales, its scale-dependence leads to a non-linear response. For a small applied force $F$ the average velocity of the surface $v$ behaves as $v \sim F^{1+ζ}$. To first order $ζ=1.78(1-T/T_{sr})$. At the transition, $v\sim F/(1+C|\ln (F)|)^{1.78}$ and the crossover to the behavior to $T<T_{sr}$ is analyzed. These results also apply to two-dimensional vortex glasses with a parallel magnetic field.

cond-mat↗

arXiv1994

Scaling Phenomena in a Unitary Model of Directed Propagating Waves with Applications to One-Dimensional Electrons in a Time-Varying Potential

We study a 2D lattice model of forward-directed waves in which the integrated intensity for classical waves (or probability for quantum mechanical particles) is conserved. The model describes the time evolution of 1D quantum particle in a time-varying potential and also applies to propagation of electromagnetic waves in two dimensions within the parabolic approximation. We present a closed form solution for propagation in a uniform system. Motivated by recent studies of non-unitary directed models for localized 2D electrons tunneling in a magnetic field, we then address related theoretical questions of how the interference pattern between constrained-forward paths in this unitary model is affected by the addition of phases corresponding to such a magnetic field. The behavior is found to depend sensitively on the value of $Φ/Φ_{0}$, where $Φ$ is flux per plaquette and $Φ_{0}$ is the unit of flux quantum. For $Φ/Φ_{0} = p/q$ we find the amplitude to be more collimated the larger is the value of $q$. We next consider propagation in a random forward scattering media. In particular the scaling properties associated with the transverse width $x$ of the wave, as function of its distance $t$ from point source, are addressed. We find the moments of $x$ to scale with $t$ in a very different way from what is known for either off-lattice unitary or on-lattice non-unitary systems. The scaling of the moments of the probability $[P^{n}(x,t)]$ (or intensity) at a point $(x=0,t)$ is found to be consistent with a simple behavior $[P^{n}(0,t)] \sim t^{-\frac{n}{2}}$. Implications to the behavior of one-dimensional lattice quantum particles in a dynamically fluctuating

cond-mat↗

arXiv1993

Lattice Magnetic Walks

Sums of walks for charged particles (e.g. Hofstadter electrons) on a square lattice in the presence of a magnetic field are evaluated. Returning loops are systematically added to directed paths to obtain the unrestricted propagators. Expressions are obtained for special values of the magnetic flux-per-plaquette commensurate with the flux quantum. For commensurate and incommensurate values of the flux, the addition of small returning loops does not affect the general features found earlier for directed paths. Lattice Green's functions are also obtained for staggered flux configurations encountered in models of high-Tc superconductors.

cond-mat↗

arXiv1992

On the Scale-Invariant Distribution of the Diffusion Coefficient for Classical Particles Diffusing in Disordered Media.-

The scaling form of the whole distribution P(D) of the random diffusion coefficient D(x) in a model of classically diffusing particles is investigated. The renormalization group approach above the lower critical dimension d=0 is applied to the distribution P(D) using the n-replica approach. In the annealed approximation (n=1), the inverse gaussian distribution is found to be the stable one under rescaling. This identification is made based on symmetry arguments and subtle relations between this model and that of fluc- tuating interfaces studied by Wallace and Zia. The renormalization-group flow for the ratios between consecutive cumulants shows a regime of pure diffusion for small disorder, in which P(D) goes to delta(D- ), and a regime of strong disorder where the cumulants grow infinitely large and the diffusion process is ill defined. The boundary between these two regimes is associated with an unstable fixed-point and a subdiffusive behavior: =Ct**(1-d/2). For the quenched case (n goes to 0) we find that unphysical operators are generated raisng doubts on the renormalizability of this model. Implications to other random systems near their lower critical dimension are discussed.

cond-mat↗

arXiv1992

Kinetic Roughening in Surfaces of Crystals Growing on Disordered Substrates

Substrate disorder effects on the scaling properties of growing crystalline surfaces in solidification or epitaxial deposition processes are investigated. Within the harmonic approach there is a phase transition into a low-temperature (low-noise) superrough phase with a continuously varying dynamic exponent z>2 and a non-linear response. In the presence of the KPZ nonlinearity the disorder causes the lattice efects to decay on large scales with an intermediate crossover behavior. The mobility of the rough surface hes a complex dependence on the temperature and the other physical parameters.

cond-mat↗

arXiv1992

Localized Electrons on a Lattice with Incommensurate Magnetic Flux

The magnetic field effects on lattice wavefunctions of Hofstadter electrons strongly localized at boundaries are studied analytically and numerically. The exponential decay of the wavefunction is modulated by a field dependent amplitude J(t) which depends sensitively on the value of alpha (the magnetic flux per plaquette in units of a flux quantum, t is the distance from the boundary). While for rational values p/q, the envelope of J(t) increases as 2**t/q, the behavior for irrational alpha is erratic with an aperiodic structure which changes drastically with alpha. For algebraic alpha it is found that J(t) increases as a power law t**b(alpha) while it grows faster for transcendental alpha. This is very different from the growth rate exp{sqrt(t)} typical for random phases. The theoretical analysis is extended to lattices in which the distances between adjacent layers increase as r**n with n>0. Different behavior of J(t;n) is found in various regimes of n. It changes from periodic for small n to random like for large n.

cond-mat↗