Title

Mean Field Theory of Collective Transport with Phase Slips

Author(s)/Creator(s)

Karl Saunders, Syracuse University
J. M. Schwarz, Syracuse University
M. Cristina Marchetti, Syracuse UniversityFollow
Alan Middleton, Syracuse UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Date

2-2-2008

Keywords

condensed matter, disordered systems and neural networks

Language

English

Disciplines

Physics

Description/Abstract

The driven transport of plastic systems in various disordered backgrounds is studied within mean field theory. Plasticity is modeled using non-convex interparticle potentials that allow for phase slips. This theory most naturally describes sliding charge density waves; other applications include flow of colloidal particles or driven magnetic flux vortices in disordered backgrounds. The phase diagrams exhibit generic phases and phase boundaries, though the shapes of the phase boundaries depend on the shape of the disorder potential. The phases are distinguished by their velocity and coherence: the moving phase generically has finite coherence, while pinned states can be coherent or incoherent. The coherent and incoherent static phases can coexist in parameter space, in contrast with previous results for exactly sinusoidal pinning potentials. Transitions between the moving and static states can also be hysteretic. The depinning transition from the static to sliding states can be determined analytically, while the repinning transition from the moving to the pinned phases is computed by direct simulation.

Additional Information

This article is from arXiv.org, for additional insight see http://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0311259

Recommended Citation

arXiv:cond-mat/0311259v1

Source

harvested from arXiv.org

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.