Condensed Matter Theory

Abstract:

We adapt stochastic rotation dynamics, a mesoscopic computer simulation method, to colloidal suspensions, making sure length and time-scales are carefully separated to generate the correct coarse-grained physical properties[1]. This allows us to study the interplay between hydrodynamic and Brownian fluctuations during steady-state sedimentation of hard sphere particles for Peclet numbers (Pe) ranging from 0.1 to 15. Even when the hydrodynamic interactions are an order of magnitude weaker than Brownian forces, they still induce backflow effects that dominate the reduction of the average sedimentation velocity with increasing particle packing fraction. Velocity fluctuations, on the other hand, begin to show nonequilibrium hydrodynamic character for Pe > 1. We also explore the effects of hydrodynamics on driven lane-formation and aggregation of colloidal suspensions.

Abstract:

We show that dipolar interactions have dramatic effects on the ground states of rotating atomic Bose gases in the weak-interaction limit. With increasing dipolar interaction (relative to the net contact interaction), the mean field, or high filling factor, ground state undergoes a series of transitions between vortex lattices of different symmetries: triangular, square, "stripe," and "bubble" phases. We also study the effects of dipolar interactions on the quantum fluids at low filling factors. We show that the incompressible Laughlin state at filling factor ν=1/2 is replaced by compressible stripe and bubble phases. © 2005 The American Physical Society.

Abstract:

Using numerical self-consistent solutions of a sequence of finite replica symmetry breakings (RSB) and Wilson's renormalization group but with the number of RSB steps playing a role of decimation scales, we report evidence for a nontrivial T-->0 limit of the Parisi order function q(x) for the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick spin glass. Supported by scaling in RSB space, the fixed point order function is conjectured to be q*(a)=sqrt[pi]/2 a/xi erf(xi/a) on 0 a at T =0 and xi approximately 1.13+/-0.01. Xi plays the role of a correlation length in a-space. q*(a) may be viewed as the solution of an effective 1D field theory.