Optimal navigation of microswimmers in complex and noisy environments

New Journal of Physics IOP Publishing 24:9 (2022) 093037-093037

Authors:

Lorenzo Piro, Benoît Mahault, Ramin Golestanian

Abstract:

We analyze long-time correlated Brownian motion and scaled Brownian motion on the surface of the two dimensional sphere $\mathbb{S}^{2}$. Due to the geometric effects induced by the $\mathbb{S}^{2}$ curvature, such correlations collude with specific dynamics (\emph{navigation strategies}) on the manifold topology to originate rich transport properties. We focus our study to two classes of navigation strategies: One induced by the specific set of coordinates chosen for $\mathbb{S}^2$ which defines a fixed frame of reference; in particular, we chose the basis induced by spherical coordinates. We find that contrary to what occurs in the absence of correlations non-equilibrium stationary distributions are attained. We elucidate an analogy of our results with those observed of fractional Brownian motion in confined by reflecting walls in one and two dimensions. In contrast, when the navigation strategy chosen corresponds to a frame of reference moving with the particle as does the Frenet-Serret system, then the equilibrium uniform distribution on the sphere is attained. In both cases, the relaxation times towards the stationary distribution depend on the particular value of the Hurst parameter. We show that scaled Brownian motion on $\mathbb{S}^2$ is independent of the navigation strategy and we find a good agreement between the analytical calculations obtained from the solution of a time-dependent diffusion equation on $\mathbb{S}^{2}$ and the numerical results obtained from our method to generate ensemble of trajectories.Comment: The statistics of Fractional Brownian motion and of scaled Brownian motion are analyzed when motion is constrained to surface of a spher

Anomalous gapped boundaries between surface topological orders in higher-order topological insulators and superconductors with inversion symmetry

Physical Review B 106:12 (2022)

Authors:

Mh Li, T Neupert, Sa Parameswaran, A Tiwari

Abstract:

We show that the gapless boundary signatures - namely, chiral/helical hinge modes or localized zero modes - of three-dimensional higher-order topological insulators and superconductors with inversion symmetry can be gapped without symmetry breaking upon the introduction of non-Abelian surface topological order. In each case, the fractionalization pattern that appears on the surface is "anomalous"in the sense that it can be made consistent with symmetry only on the surface of a three-dimensional higher-order insulator/superconductor. Our results show that the interacting manifestation of higher-order topology is the appearance of "anomalous gapped boundaries"between distinct topological orders whose quasiparticles are related by inversion, possibly in conjunction with other protecting symmetries such as time-reversal symmetry and charge conservation.

Anomalous gapped boundaries between surface topological orders in higher-order topological insulators and superconductors with inversion symmetry

Physical Review B American Physical Society 106:12 (2022) 125121

Authors:

Ming-Hao Li, Titus Neupert, SA Parameswaran, Apoorv Tiwari

Abstract:

We show that the gapless boundary signatures—namely, chiral/helical hinge modes or localized zero modes—of three-dimensional higher-order topological insulators and superconductors with inversion symmetry can be gapped without symmetry breaking upon the introduction of non-Abelian surface topological order. In each case, the fractionalization pattern that appears on the surface is “anomalous” in the sense that it can be made consistent with symmetry only on the surface of a three-dimensional higher-order insulator/superconductor. Our results show that the interacting manifestation of higher-order topology is the appearance of “anomalous gapped boundaries” between distinct topological orders whose quasiparticles are related by inversion, possibly in conjunction with other protecting symmetries such as time-reversal symmetry and charge conservation.

Statistical mechanics of dimers on quasiperiodic Ammann-Beenker tilings

Physical Review B American Physical Society 106:9 (2022) 94202

Authors:

Jerome Lloyd, Sounak Biswas, Steven H Simon, Sa Parameswaran, Felix Flicker

Abstract:

We study classical dimers on two-dimensional quasiperiodic Ammann-Beenker (AB) tilings. Using the discrete scale-symmetry of quasiperiodic tilings, we prove that each infinite tiling admits “perfect matchings”, where every vertex is touched by one dimer. We show the appearance of so-called monomer pseudomembranes. These are sets of edges, which collectively host exactly one dimer, which bound certain eightfold-symmetric regions of the tiling. Regions bounded by pseudomembranes are matched together in a way that resembles perfect matchings of the tiling itself. These structures emerge at all scales, suggesting the preservation of collective dimer fluctuations over long distances. We provide numerical evidence, via Monte Carlo simulations, of dimer correlations consistent with power laws over a hierarchy of different lengthscales. We also find evidence of rich monomer correlations, with monomers displaying a pattern of attraction and repulsion to different regions within pseudomembranes, along with signatures of deconfinement within certain annular regions of the tiling.

Sustained unidirectional rotation of a self-organized DNA rotor on a nanopore

Nature Physics Springer Nature 18:9 (2022) 1105-1111

Authors:

Xin Shi, Anna-Katharina Pumm, Jonas Isensee, Wenxuan Zhao, Daniel Verschueren, Alejandro Martin-Gonzalez, Ramin Golestanian, Hendrik Dietz, Cees Dekker