Classical Percolation Transition Research Articles

Disorder-free localization transition in a two-dimensional lattice gauge theory

Disorder-free localization is a novel mechanism for ergodicity breaking which can occur in interacting quantum many-body systems such as lattice gauge theories (LGTs). While the nature of the quantum localization transition (QLT) is still debated for conventional many-body localization, here we provide the first comprehensive characterization of the QLT in two dimensions (2D) for a disorder-free case. Disorder-free localization can appear in homogeneous 2D LGTs such as the U(1) quantum link model (QLM) due to an underlying classical percolation transition fragmenting the system into disconnected real-space clusters. Building on the percolation model, we characterize the QLT in the U(1) QLM through a detailed study of the ergodicity properties of finite-size real-space clusters via level-spacing statistics and localization in configuration space. We argue for the presence of two regimes - one in which large finite-size clusters effectively behave non-ergodically, a result naturally accounted for as an interference phenomenon in configuration space and the other in which all large clusters behave ergodically. As one central result, in the latter regime we claim that the QLT is equivalent to the classical percolation transition and is hence continuous. Utilizing this equivalence we determine the universality class and critical behaviour of the QLT from a finite-size scaling analysis of the percolation problem.

Percolative switching in transition metal dichalcogenide field-effect transistors at room temperature

We have addressed the microscopic transport mechanism at the switching or ‘on–off’ transition in transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) field-effect transistors (FETs), which has been a controversial topic in TMDC electronics, especially at room temperature. With simultaneous measurement of channel conductivity and its slow time-dependent fluctuation (or noise) in ultrathin WSe2 and MoS2 FETs on insulating SiO2 substrates where noise arises from McWhorter-type carrier number fluctuations, we establish that the switching in conventional backgated TMDC FETs is a classical percolation transition in a medium of inhomogeneous carrier density distribution. From the experimentally observed exponents in the scaling of noise magnitude with conductivity, we observe unambiguous signatures of percolation in a random resistor network, particularly, in WSe2 FETs close to switching, which crosses over to continuum percolation at a higher doping level. We demonstrate a powerful experimental probe to the microscopic nature of near-threshold electrical transport in TMDC FETs, irrespective of the material detail, device geometry, or carrier mobility, which can be extended to other classes of 2D material-based devices as well.

Multiple percolation tunneling staircase in metal-semiconductor nanoparticle composites

Multiple percolation transitions are observed in a binary system of RuO2-CaCu3Ti4O12 metal-semiconductor nanoparticle composites near percolation thresholds. Apart from a classical percolation transition, associated with the appearance of a continuous conductance path through RuO2 metal oxide nanoparticles, at least two additional tunneling percolation transitions are detected in this composite system. Such behavior is consistent with the recently emerged picture of a quantum conductivity staircase, which predicts several percolation tunneling thresholds in a system with a hierarchy of local tunneling conductance, due to various degrees of proximity of adjacent conducting particles distributed in an insulating matrix. Here, we investigate a different type of percolation tunneling staircase, associated with a more complex conductive and insulating particle microstructure of two types of non-spherical constituents. As tunneling is strongly temperature dependent, we use variable temperature measurements to emphasize the hierarchical nature of consecutive tunneling transitions. The critical exponents corresponding to specific tunneling percolation thresholds are found to be nonuniversal and temperature dependent.

Self-assembly in Nafion membranes upon hydration: water mobility and adsorption isotherms.

By means of dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations, we explored geometrical, transport, and sorption properties of hydrated Nafion-type polyelectrolyte membranes. Composed of a perfluorinated backbone with sulfonate side chains, Nafion self-assembles upon hydration and segregates into interpenetrating hydrophilic and hydrophobic subphases. This segregated morphology determines the transport properties of Nafion membranes that are widely used as compartment separators in fuel cells and other electrochemical devices, as well as permselective diffusion barriers in protective fabrics. We introduced a coarse-grained model of Nafion, which accounts explicitly for polymer rigidity and electrostatic interactions between anionic side chains and hydrated metal cations. In a series of DPD simulations with increasing content of water, a classical percolation transition from a system of isolated water clusters to a 3D network of hydrophilic channels was observed. The hydrophilic subphase connectivity and water diffusion were studied by constructing digitized replicas of self-assembled morphologies and performing random walk simulations. A non-monotonic dependence of the tracer diffusivity on the water content was found. This unexpected behavior was explained by the formation of large and mostly isolated water domains detected at high water content and high equivalent polymer weight. Using MC simulations, we calculated the chemical potential of water in the hydrated polymer and constructed the water sorption isotherms, which extended to the oversaturated conditions. We determined that the maximum diffusivity and the onset of formation of large water domains corresponded to the saturation conditions at 100% humidity. The oversaturated membrane morphologies generated in the canonical ensemble DPD simulations correspond to the metastable and unstable states of Nafion membrane that are not realized in the experiments.

Quantum Monte Carlo Study of Inhomogeneous Bond Dilution in the Two-Dimensional Heisenberg Antiferromagnet

The problem whether a two-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet on a square lattice can be driven through a quantum phase transition by either bond or site dilution has attracted a lot of recent interest. Such a diluted system is of direct relevance for antiferromagnetic layered cuprates compounds, doped with nonmagnetic impurities. Both experimental results and numerical analysis now give evidence that such systems with homogeneous site and bond dilution are driven through a classical percolation transition instead of a quantum phase transition. In this paper we show that inhomogeneous bond dilution introduces the different scenario of a percolative quantum phase transition. The ground state of the bond-diluted system can be a spin liquid characterized by an infinite percolating network with vanishing antiferromagnetic order parameter. This quantum disordered phase appears as an intermediate regime between the geometrically disordered phase and the antiferromagnetic ordered phase. Here we investigate this phenomenon using Stochastic Series Expansion Quantum Monte Carlo simulations.

Finite-Size Scaling in the Diluted Two-Dimensional Heisenberg Antiferromagnet

Ground state properties of the randomly diluted two-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet are discussed. Quantum Monte Carlo (stochastic series expansion) data for L x L lattices, with L up to 64, are extrapolated to infinite size for dilution fractions p between 0 (clean system) and p* (the percolation threshold). The sublattice magnetization is calculated using a decomposition into a classical and a quantum mechanical factor, which are evaluated separately. The quantum mechanical factor (the sublattice magnetization of the largest connected cluster of magnetic sites) remains finite at the percolation threshold, implying that the dilution driven order-disorder transition is a classical percolation transition. The spin stiffness is calculated using the winding number fluctuations.

Quantum phase transition of the randomly diluted heisenberg antiferromagnet on a square lattice

Ground-state magnetic properties of the diluted Heisenberg antiferromagnet on a square lattice are investigated by means of the quantum Monte Carlo method with the continuous-time loop algorithm. It is found that the critical concentration of magnetic sites is independent of the spin size S, and equal to the two-dimensional percolation threshold. However, the existence of quantum fluctuations makes the critical exponents deviate from those of the classical percolation transition. Furthermore, we found that the transition is not universal, i.e., the critical exponents significantly depend on S.

QUANTUM MONTE CARLO STUDY OF SITE-DILUTED HEISENBERG ANTIFERROMAGNET ON A SQUARE LATTICE

Ground-state phase transition of site-diluted Heisenberg antiferromagnets on a square lattice is studied. By using the continuous-time loop algorithm, we perform large-scale quantum Monte Carlo simulation on large systems at quite low temperatures. It is found that the critical concentration of magnetic sites is independent of the spin size S, and equal to the classical percolation threshold. However, the existence of quantum fluctuations makes the critical exponents deviate from those of the classical percolation transition. It is found that the transition is not universal, i.e., the critical exponents depend on the spin size S.

The network model and its relation to classical percolation in quantum Hall systems

J.T. Chalker and P.D. Coddington (1988) proposed a model for studying the influence of quantum effects on the classical percolation transition in quantum Hall systems. A quantitative microscopic interpretation of the model is given, and the class of potentials which are described by the model is determined. An approximate calculation of the localization length proves that the classical localization-delocalization transition is not incorporated in the model.