arXiv subjects

Z. Nussinov

Publications and source records attributed to Z. Nussinov.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2011

Detecting hidden spatial and spatio-temporal structures in glasses and complex physical systems by multiresolution network clustering

We elaborate on a general method that we recently introduced for characterizing the "natural" structures in complex physical systems via a multiscale network based approach for the data mining of such structures. The approach is based on "community detection" wherein interacting particles are partitioned into "an ideal gas" of optimally decoupled groups of particles. Specifically, we construct a set of network representations ("replicas") of the physical system based on interatomic potentials and apply a multiscale clustering ("multiresolution community detection") analysis using information-based correlations among the replicas. Replicas may be (i) different representations of an identical static system or (ii) embody dynamics by when considering replicas to be time separated snapshots of the system (with a tunable time separation) or (iii) encode general correlations when different replicas correspond to different representations of the entire history of the system as it evolves in space-time. We apply our method to computer simulations of a binary Kob-Andersen Lennard-Jones system, a ternary model system, and to atomic coordinates in a ZrPt system as gleaned by reverse Monte Carlo analysis of experimentally determined structure factors. We identify the dominant structures (disjoint or overlapping) and general length scales by analyzing extrema of the information theory measures. We speculate on possible links between (i) physical transitions or crossovers and (ii) changes in structures found by this method as well as phase transitions associated with the computational complexity of the community detection problem. We briefly also consider continuum approaches and discuss the shear penetration depth in elastic media; this length scale increases as the system becomes increasingly rigid.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2010

Detection of hidden structures on all scales in amorphous materials and complex physical systems: basic notions and applications to networks, lattice systems, and glasses

Recent decades have seen the discovery of numerous complex materials. At the root of the complexity underlying many of these materials lies a large number of possible contending atomic- and larger-scale configurations and the intricate correlations between their constituents. For a detailed understanding, there is a need for tools that enable the detection of pertinent structures on all spatial and temporal scales. Towards this end, we suggest a new method by invoking ideas from network analysis and information theory. Our method efficiently identifies basic unit cells and topological defects in systems with low disorder and may analyze general amorphous structures to identify candidate natural structures where a clear definition of order is lacking. This general unbiased detection of physical structure does not require a guess as to which of the system properties should be deemed as important and may constitute a natural point of departure for further analysis. The method applies to both static and dynamic systems.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2010

Spontaneous breaking of four-fold rotational symmetry in two-dimensional electron systems as a topological phase transition

Motivated by recent observations of $C_4$ symmetry breaking in strongly correlated two-dimensional electron systems on a square lattice, we analyze this phenomenon within an extended Fermi liquid approach. It is found that the symmetry violation is triggered by a continuous topological phase transition associated with exchange of antiferromagnetic fluctuations. In contrast to predictions of mean-field theory, the structure of a part of the single-particle spectrum violating $C_4$ symmetry is found to be highly anisotropic, with a peak located in the vicinity of saddle points.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2010

Spin glassiness and power law scaling in a quasi-triangular spin-1/2 compound

We present data on the magnetic properties of two classes of layered spin S=1/2 antiferromagnetic quasi-triangular lattice materials: $Cu_{2(1-x)}Zn_{2x}(OH)_3NO_3$ ($0 < x < 0.65$) and its long chain organic derivatives $Cu_{2(1-x)}Zn_{2x}(OH)_3(C_7H_{15}COO)\cdot mH_2O$ ($0 < x < 0.29$), where non-magnetic Zn substitutes Cu isostructurally. It is found that the long-chain compounds, even in a clean system in the absence of dilution, $x\!=\!0$, show spin-glass behavior, as evidenced by DC and AC susceptibility, and by time dependent magnetization measurements. A striking feature is the observation of a sharp crossover between two successive power law regimes in the DC susceptibility above the freezing temperature. Specific heat data are consistent with a conventional phase transition in the unintercalated compounds, and glassy behavior in the long chain compunds.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2010

Spontaneous breaking of four-fold rotational symmetry in two-dimensional electronic systems explained as a continuous topological transition

The Fermi liquid approach is applied to the problem of spontaneous violation of the four-fold rotational point-group symmetry ($C_4$) in strongly correlated two-dimensional electronic systems on a square lattice. The symmetry breaking is traced to the existence of a topological phase transition. This continuous transition is triggered when the Fermi line, driven by the quasiparticle interactions, reaches the van Hove saddle points, where the group velocity vanishes and the density of states becomes singular. An unconventional Fermi liquid emerges beyond the implicated quantum critical point.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

Unified approach to Quantum and Classical Dualities

We show how classical and quantum dualities, as well as duality relations that appear only in a sector of certain theories ("emergent dualities"), can be unveiled, and systematically established. Our method relies on the use of morphisms of the "bond algebra" of a quantum Hamiltonian. Dualities are characterized as unitary mappings implementing such morphisms, whose even powers become symmetries of the quantum problem. Dual variables -which were guessed in the past- can be derived in our formalism. We obtain new self-dualities for four-dimensional Abelian gauge field theories.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2009

The glassy response of solid He-4 to torsional oscillations

We calculated the glassy response of solid He-4 to torsional oscillations assuming a phenomenological glass model. Making only a few assumptions about the distribution of glassy relaxation times in a small subsystem of otherwise rigid solid He-4, we can account for the magnitude of the observed period shift and concomitant dissipation peak in several torsion oscillator experiments. The implications of the glass model for solid He-4 are threefold: (1) The dynamics of solid He-4 is governed by glassy relaxation processes. (2) The distribution of relaxation times varies significantly between different torsion oscillator experiments. (3) The mechanical response of a torsion oscillator does not require a supersolid component to account for the observed anomaly at low temperatures, though we cannot rule out its existence.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2009

Ballistic properties of crystalline defects

We introduce a field theoretic formalism enabling the direct study of dislocation and interstitial dynamics. Explicit expressions for the energies of such defects are given. We provide links to earlier numerical, discrete elastic, time dependent Ginzburg Landau, and other approaches sought by numerous authors for the problem of defect dynamics. The formalism introduced in this article may be extended to address many other systems. Apart from their heavily studied role in dislocation mediated crystal melting, defect dynamics recently gained much interest due to their viable role in various electronic and other systems of current interest. These systems include, yet are not limited to, stripe phases of Quantum Hall liquids, theories addressing the melting of stripe phases in various doped oxides (including the high temperature cuprate superconductors, the nickelates, and manganates), defects in supersolids, as well as colloidal crystals.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2009

Conservation and persistence of spin currents and their relation to the Lieb-Schulz-Mattis twist operators

Systems with spin-orbit coupling do not conserve "bare" spin current $\bf{j}$. A recent proposal for a conserved spin current $\bf{J}$ [J. Shi {\it et.al} Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 96}, 076604 (2006)] does not flow persistently in equilibrium. We suggest another conserved spin current $\bar{\bf{J}}$ that may flow persistently in equilibrium. We give two arguments for the instability of persistent current of the form $\bf{J}$: one based on the equations of motions and another based on a variational construction using Lieb-Schulz-Mattis twist operators. In the absence of spin-orbit coupling, the three forms of spin current coincide.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2009

Equivalent Dynamics from Disparate Synaptic Weights in a Prevalent Visual Circuit

Neural feedback-triads consisting of two feedback loops with a non-reciprocal lateral connection from one loop to the other are ubiquitous in the brain. We show analytically that the dynamics of this network topology are determined by two algebraic combinations of its five synaptic weights. Thus different weight settings can generate equivalent network dynamics. Exploration of network activity over the two-dimensional parameter space demonstrates the importance of the non-reciprocal lateral connection and reveals intricate behavior involving continuous transitions between qualitatively different activity states. In addition, we show that the response to periodic inputs is narrowly tuned around a center frequency determined by the two effective synaptic parameters.

q-bio.NC↗

arXiv2008

Torsional oscillators and the entropy dilemma of putative supersolid He-4

Solid He-4 is viewed as a nearly perfect Debye solid. Yet, recent calorimetry measurements by the PSU group (J. Low Temp. Phys. 138, 853 (2005) and Nature 449, 1025 (2007)) indicate that at low temperatures the specific heat has both cubic and linear contributions. These features appear in the same temperature range where measurements of the torsional oscillator period suggest a supersolid transition. We analyze the specific heat and compare the measured with the estimated entropy for a proposed supersolid transition with 1% superfluid fraction and find that the observed entropy is too small. We suggest that the low-temperature linear term in the specific heat is due to a glassy state that develops at low temperatures and is caused by a distribution of tunneling systems in the crystal. We propose that dislocation related defects produce those tunneling systems. Further, we argue that the reported putative mass decoupling, that means an increase in the oscillator frequency, is consistent with a glass-like transition. The glass scenario offers an alternative interpretation of the torsional oscillator experiments in contrast to the supersolid scenario of nonclassical rotational inertia.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2008

Rectification of Swimming Bacteria and Self Driven Particle Systems by Arrays of Asymmetric Barriers

We show that the recent experimental observation of the rectification of swimming bacteria in a system with an array of asymmetric barriers occurs due to the ballistic component of the bacteria trajectories introduced by the bacterial "motor." Each bacteria selects a random direction for motion and then moves in this direction for a fixed period of time before randomly changing its orientation and moving in a new direction. In the limit where the bacteria undergo only Brownian motion, rectification by the barriers does not occur. We also examine the effects of steric interactions between the bacteria and observe a clogging effect upon increasing the bacteria density.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2007

On the origin of the decrease in the torsional oscillator period of solid He4

A decrease in the rotational period observed in torsional oscillator measurements was recently taken as a possible indication of a supersolid state of helium. We reexamine this interpretation and note that the decrease in the rotation period is also consistent with a solidification of a small liquid-like component into a low-temperature glass. Such a solidification may occur by a low-temperature quench of topological defects (e.g., grain boundaries or dislocations) which we examined in an earlier work. The low-temperature glass can account for not only a monotonic decrease in the rotation period as the temperature is lowered but also explains the peak in the dissipation occurring near the transition point. Unlike the non-classical rotational inertia scenario, which depends on the supersolid fraction, the dependence of the rotational period on external parameters, e.g., the oscillator velocity, provides an alternate interpretation of the oscillator experiments. Future experiments might explore this effect.

cond-mat.other↗

arXiv2006

High-dimensional fractionalization and spinon deconfinement in pyrochlore antiferromagnets

The ground states of Klein type spin models on the pyrochlore and checkerboard lattice are spanned by the set of singlet dimer coverings, and thus possess an extensive ground--state degeneracy. Among the many exotic consequences is the presence of deconfined fractional excitations (spinons) which propagate through the entire system. While a realistic electronic model on the pyrochlore lattice is close to the Klein point, this point is in fact inherently unstable because any perturbation $ε$ restores spinon confinement at $T = 0$. We demonstrate that deconfinement is recovered in the finite--temperature region $ε\ll T \ll J$, where the deconfined phase can be characterized as a dilute Coulomb gas of thermally excited spinons. We investigate the zero--temperature phase diagram away from the Klein point by means of a variational approach based on the singlet dimer coverings of the pyrochlore lattices and taking into account their non--orthogonality. We find that in these systems, nearest neighbor exchange interactions do not lead to Rokhsar-Kivelson type processes.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2006

Observing the fluctuating stripes in high Tc superconductors

Resting on the gauge theory of topological quantum melting in 2+1 dimensions, we predict that a superconductor characterized by crystalline correlations on a length scale large compared to the lattice carries a new collective mode: the massive shear photon. This mode is visible in the electrodynamic response and the ramification of our theory is that electron energy loss spectroscopy can be employed to prove or disprove the existence of dynamical stripes in cuprate superconductors.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2006

Entropy of solid He4: the possible role of a dislocation glass

Solid He4 is viewed as a nearly perfect Debye solid. Yet, recent calorimetry indicates that its low-temperature specific heat has both cubic and linear contributions. These features appear in the same temperature range ($T \sim 200$ mK) where measurements of the torsional oscillator period suggest a supersolid transition. We analyze the specific heat to compare the measured with the estimated entropy for a proposed supersolid transition with 1% superfluid fraction. We find that the experimental entropy is substantially less than the calculated entropy. We suggest that the low-temperature linear term in the specific heat is due to a glassy state that develops at low temperatures and is caused by a distribution of tunneling systems in the crystal. It is proposed that small scale dislocation loops produce those tunneling systems. We argue that the reported mass decoupling is consistent with an increase in the oscillator frequency as expected for a glass-like transition.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2006

Heterogeneities and Topological Defects in Two-Dimensional Pinned Liquids

We simulate a model of repulsively interacting colloids on a commensurate two-dimensional triangular pinning substrate where the amount of heterogeneous motion that appears at melting can be controlled systematically by turning off a fraction of the pinning sites. We correlate the amount of heterogeneous motion with the average topological defect number, time dependent defect fluctuations, colloid diffusion, and the form of the van Hove correlation function. When the pinning sites are all off or all on, the melting occurs in a single step. When a fraction of the sites are turned off, the melting becomes considerably broadened and signatures of a two-step melting process appear. The noise power associated with fluctuations in the number of topological defects reaches a maximum when half of the pinning sites are removed, and the noise spectrum has a pronounced 1/f^αstructure in the heterogeneous regime. We find that regions of high mobility are associated with regions of high dislocation densities.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2005

The frustration-based approach of supercooled liquids and the glass transition: a review and critical assessment

One of the most spectacular phenomena in physics in terms of dynamical range is the glass transition and the associated slowing down of flow and relaxation with decreasing temperature. That it occurs in many different liquids seems to call for a "universal" theory. In this article, we review one such theoretical approach which is based on the concept of "frustration". Frustration in this context describes an incompatibility between extension of the locally preferred order in a liquid and tiling of the whole space. We provide a critical assessment of what has been achieved within this approach and we discuss the relation with other theories of the glass transition.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗