Condensed Matter Theory

Abstract:

We introduce a simple "patchy particle" model to study the thermodynamics and dynamics of self-assembly of homomeric protein complexes. Our calculations allow us to rationalize recent results for dihedral complexes. Namely, why evolution of such complexes naturally takes the system into a region of interaction space where (i) the evolutionarily newer interactions are weaker, (ii) subcomplexes involving the stronger interactions are observed to be thermodynamically stable on destabilization of the protein-protein interactions, and (iii) the self-assembly dynamics are hierarchical with these same subcomplexes acting as kinetic intermediates.

Abstract:

We study nonequilibrium properties of an electronic Mach-Zehnder interferometer built from integer quantum Hall edge states at filling fraction $\nu{=}1$. For a model in which electrons interact only when they are inside the interferometer, we calculate exactly the visibility and phase of Aharonov-Bohm fringes at finite source-drain bias. When interactions are strong, we show that a lobe structure develops in visibility as a function of bias, while the phase of fringes is independent of bias, except near zeros of visibility. Both features match the results of recent experiments [Neder \textit{et al.} Phys. Rev. Lett. \textbf{96}, 016804 (2006)].

Abstract:

We discuss the nearest neighbour spin ice model in the presence of a magnetic field placed along the cubic [100] direction. As recently shown in Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 067207, 2008, the symmetry sustaining ordering transition observed at low temperature is a three dimensional Kasteleyn transition. We confirm this with numerical data using a non-local algorithm that conserves the topological constraints at low temperature and from analytic calculations from a Bethe lattice of corner sharing tetrahedra . We present a thermodynamic description of the Kasteleyn transition and discuss the relevance of our results to recent neutron scattering experiments on spin ice materials.