Replica Formalism Research Articles

QED fermions in a noisy magnetic field background

We consider the effects of a noisy magnetic field background over the fermion propagator in QED, as an approximation to the spatial inhomogeneities that would naturally arise in certain physical scenarios, such as heavy-ion collisions or the quark-gluon plasma in the early stages of the evolution of the Universe. We considered a classical, finite and uniform average magnetic field background $\langle\mathbf{B}(\mathbf{x})\rangle = \mathbf{B}$, subject to white-noise spatial fluctuations with auto-correlation of magnitude $\Delta_B$. By means of the Schwinger representation of the propagator in the average magnetic field as a reference system, we used the replica formalism to study the effects of the magnetic noise in the form of renormalized quasi-particle parameters, leading to an effective charge and an effective refraction index, that depend not only on the energy scale, as usual, but also on the magnitude of the noise $\Delta_B$ and the average field $\mathbf{B}$.

Hard-sphere jamming through the lens of linear optimization.

The jamming transition is ubiquitous. It is present in granular matter, foams, colloids, structural glasses, and many other systems. Yet, it defines a critical point whose properties still need to be fully understood. Recently, a major breakthrough came about when the replica formalism was extended to build a mean-field theory that provides an exact description of the jamming transition of spherical particles in the infinite-dimensional limit. While such theory explains the jamming critical behavior of both soft and hard spheres, investigating the transition in finite-dimensional systems poses very difficult and different problems, in particular from the numerical point of view. Soft particles are modeled by continuous potentials; thus, their jamming point can be reached through efficient energy minimization algorithms. In contrast, the latter methods are inapplicable to hard-sphere (HS) systems since the interaction energy among the particles is always zero by construction. To overcome these difficulties, here we recast the jamming of hard spheres as a constrained optimization problem and introduce the CALiPPSO algorithm, capable of readily producing jammed HS packings without including any effective potential. This algorithm brings a HS configuration of arbitrary dimensions to its jamming point by solving a chain of linear optimization problems. We show that there is a strict correspondence between the force balance conditions of jammed packings and the properties of the optimal solutions of CALiPPSO, whence we prove analytically that our packings are always isostatic and in mechanical equilibrium. Furthermore, using extensive numerical simulations, we show that our algorithm is able to probe the complex structure of the free-energy landscape, finding qualitative agreement with mean-field predictions. We also characterize the algorithmic complexity of CALiPPSO and provide an open-source implementation of it.

Chaos in the Bose-glass phase of a one-dimensional disordered Bose fluid.

We show that the Bose-glass phase of a one-dimensional disordered Bose fluid exhibits a chaotic behavior, i.e., an extreme sensitivity to external parameters. Using bosonization, the replica formalism and the nonperturbative functional renormalization group, we find that the ground state is unstable to any modification of the disorder configuration ("disorder" chaos) or variation of the Luttinger parameter ("quantum" chaos, analog to the "temperature" chaos in classical disordered systems). This result is obtained by considering two copies of the system, with slightly different disorder configurations or Luttinger parameters, and showing that intercopy statistical correlations are suppressed at length scales larger than an overlap length ξ_{ov}∼|ε|^{-1/α} (|ε|≪1 is a measure of the difference between the disorder distributions or Luttinger parameters of the two copies). The chaos exponent α can be obtained by computing ξ_{ov} or by studying the instability of the Bose-glass fixed point for the two-copy system when ε≠0. The renormalized, functional, intercopy disorder correlator departs from its fixed-point value-characterized by "cuspy" singularities-via a chaos boundary layer, in the same way as it approaches the Bose-glass fixed point when ε=0 through a quantum boundary layer. Performing a linear analysis of perturbations about the Bose-glass fixed point, we find α=1.

Reentrant behavior of magnetic ordered phase in spin-crossover solids with quenched disordered ligand field

The Ising-like model of spin-crossover solid compounds with quenched random ligand field has been investigated by the mean-field (infinite-range) approximation. An exact solution for the problem is found within the replica formalism. The magnetic diagrams are obtained; the relations between the intermolecular coupling and the temperature as well as the reentrant phenomena of the magnetic ordered phase are discussed.

Finite-size corrections in the random assignment problem.

We analytically derive, in the context of the replica formalism, the first finite-size corrections to the average optimal cost in the random assignment problem for a quite generic distribution law for the costs. We show that, when moving from a power-law distribution to a Γ distribution, the leading correction changes both in sign and in its scaling properties. We also examine the behavior of the corrections when approaching a δ-function distribution. By using a numerical solution of the saddle-point equations, we provide predictions that are confirmed by numerical simulations.

Spin liquid and infinitesimal-disorder-driven cluster spin glass in the kagome lattice

The interplay between geometric frustration (GF) and bond disorder is studied in the Ising kagome lattice within a cluster approach. The model considers antiferromagnetic short-range couplings and long-range intercluster disordered interactions. The replica formalism is used to obtain an effective single cluster model from where the thermodynamics is analyzed by exact diagonalization. We found that the presence of GF can introduce cluster freezing at very low levels of disorder. The system exhibits an entropy plateau followed by a large entropy drop close to the freezing temperature. In this scenario, a spin-liquid (SL) behavior prevents conventional long-range order, but an infinitesimal disorder picks out uncompensated cluster states from the multi-degenerate SL regime, potentializing the intercluster-disordered coupling and bringing the cluster spin-glass state. To summarize, our results suggest that the SL state combined with low levels of disorder can activate small clusters, providing hypersensitivity to the freezing process in geometrically frustrated materials and playing a key role in the glassy stabilization. We propose that this physical mechanism could be present in several geometrically frustrated materials. In particular, we discuss our results in connection with the recent experimental investigations of the Ising kagome compound Co3Mg(OH)6Cl2.

Nonlinear susceptibility of a quantum spin glass under uniform transverse and random longitudinal magnetic fields

The interplay between quantum fluctuations and disorder is investigated in a spin-glass model, in the presence of a uniform transverse field $\Gamma$, and a longitudinal random field following a Gaussian distribution with width $\Delta$. The model is studied through the replica formalism. This study is motivated by experimental investigations on the LiHo$_x$Y$_{1-x}$F$_4$ compound, where the application of a transverse magnetic field yields rather intriguing effects, particularly related to the behavior of the nonlinear magnetic susceptibility $\chi_3$, which have led to a considerable experimental and theoretical debate. We analyzed two situations, namely, $\Delta$ and $\Gamma$ considered as independent, as well as these two quantities related as proposed recently by some authors. In both cases, a spin-glass phase transition is found at a temperature $T_f$; moreover, $T_f$ decreases by increasing $\Gamma$ towards a quantum critical point at zero temperature. The situation where $\Delta$ and $\Gamma$ are related appears to reproduce better the experimental observations on the LiHo$_x$Y$_{1-x}$F$_4$ compound, with the theoretical results coinciding qualitatively with measurements of the nonlinear susceptibility. In this later case, by increasing $\Gamma$, $\chi_3$ becomes progressively rounded, presenting a maximum at a temperature $T^*$ ($T^*>T_f$). Moreover, we also show that the random field is the main responsible for the smearing of the nonlinear susceptibility, acting significantly inside the paramagnetic phase, leading to two regimes delimited by the temperature $T^*$, one for $T_f<T<T^*$, and another one for $T>T^*$. It is argued that the conventional paramagnetic state corresponds to $T>T^*$, whereas the temperature region $T_f<T<T^*$ may be characterized by a rather unusual dynamics, possibly including Griffiths singularities.

Spin-glass phase transition and behavior of nonlinear susceptibility in the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick model with random fields

The behavior of the nonlinear susceptibility $\chi_3$ and its relation to the spin-glass transition temperature $T_f$, in the presence of random fields, are investigated. To accomplish this task, the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick model is studied through the replica formalism, within a one-step replica-symmetry-breaking procedure. In addition, the dependence of the Almeida-Thouless eigenvalue $\lambda_{\rm AT}$ (replicon) on the random fields is analyzed. Particularly, in absence of random fields, the temperature $T_f$ can be traced by a divergence in the spin-glass susceptibility $\chi_{\rm SG}$, which presents a term inversely proportional to the replicon $\lambda_{\rm AT}$. As a result of a relation between $\chi_{\rm SG}$ and $\chi_3$, the latter also presents a divergence at $T_f$, which comes as a direct consequence of $\lambda_{\rm AT}=0$ at $T_f$. However, our results show that, in the presence of random fields, $\chi_3$ presents a rounded maximum at a temperature $T^{*}$, which does not coincide with the spin-glass transition temperature $T_f$ (i.e., $T^* > T_f$ for a given applied random field). Thus, the maximum value of $\chi_3$ at $T^*$ reflects the effects of the random fields in the paramagnetic phase, instead of the non-trivial ergodicity breaking associated with the spin-glass phase transition. It is also shown that $\chi_3$ still maintains a dependence on the replicon $\lambda_{\rm AT}$, although in a more complicated way, as compared with the case without random fields. These results are discussed in view of recent observations in the LiHo$_x$Y$_{1-x}$F$_4$ compound.

Replica methods for loopy sparse random graphs†

I report on the development of a novel statistical mechanical formalism for the analysis of random graphs with many short loops, and processes on such graphs. The graphs are defined via maximum entropy ensembles, in which both the degrees (via hard constraints) and the adjacency matrix spectrum (via a soft constraint) are prescribed. The sum over graphs can be done analytically, using a replica formalism with complex replica dimensions. All known results for tree-like graphs are recovered in a suitable limit. For loopy graphs, the emerging theory has an appealing and intuitive structure, suggests how message passing algorithms should be adapted, and what is the structure of theories describing spin systems on loopy architectures. However, the formalism is still largely untested, and may require further adjustment and refinement.

Disordered Weyl Semimetals and Their Topological Family.

We develop a topological theory for disordered Weyl semimetals in the framework of the gauge invariance of the replica formalism and boundary-bulk correspondence of Chern insulators. An anisotropic topological θ term is analytically derived for the effective nonlinear σ model. It is this nontrivial topological term that ensures that the bulk transverse transport of Weyl semimetals is robust against disorders. Moreover, we establish a general diagram that reveals the intrinsic relations among topological terms in the nonlinear σ models and gauge response theories, respectively, for (2n+2)-dimensional topological insulators, (2n+1)-dimensional chiral fermions, (2n+1)-dimensional chiral semimetals, and (2n)-dimensional topological insulators with n being a positive integer.

Learning in Ultrametric Committee Machines

The problem of learning by examples in ultrametric committee machines (UCMs) is studied within the framework of statistical mechanics. Using the replica formalism we calculate the average generalization error in UCMs with L hidden layers and for a large enough number of units. In most of the regimes studied we find that the generalization error, as a function of the number of examples presented, develops a discontinuous drop at a critical value of the load parameter. We also find that when L>1 a number of teacher networks with the same number of hidden layers and different overlaps induce learning processes with the same critical points.

One-step replica-symmetry-breaking solution of the Sherrington–Kirkpatrick model under aGaussian random field

The Sherrington–Kirkpatrick model, in the presence of a Gaussian random field, is studiedthrough the replica formalism within a one-step replica-symmetry-breaking procedure. Thismodel treated in the replica-symmetry approximation does not exhibit a spin-glassphase, since the corresponding order parameter becomes trivially induced bythe random field. However, such a phase appears naturally through the presentapproach, being associated with the onset of replica-symmetry breaking. It isshown that the low-temperature negative-entropy problem, characteristic of thereplica-symmetry approximation, is practically resolved within this improved approach.Phase diagrams, the corresponding order parameters, and thermodynamic propertiesare computed; the present results are expected to be very close to the correctones, i.e., those that could be obtained from the full replica-symmetry-breakingprocedure.

Long time limit of equilibrium glassy dynamics and replica calculation

It is shown that the limit t − t ′ → ∞ of the equilibrium dynamic self-energy can be computed from the n → 1 limit of the static self-energy of an n-times replicated system with one step replica symmetry breaking structure. It is also shown that the Dyson equation of the replicated system leads in the n → 1 limit to the bifurcation equation for the glass ergodicity breaking parameter computed from dynamics. The equivalence of the replica formalism to the long time limit of the equilibrium relaxation dynamics is proved to all orders in perturbation for a scalar theory.

Real symmetric random matrices and replicas

Various ensembles of random matrices with independent entries are analyzed by the replica formalism in the large- N limit. A result on the Laplacian random matrix with Wigner-rescaling is generalized to arbitrary probability distribution.

Random-energy model in random fields

The random-energy model is studied in the presence of random fields. The problem is solved exactly both in the microcanonical ensemble, without recourse to the replica method, and in the canonical ensemble using the replica formalism. The phase diagrams for bimodal and Gaussian random fields are investigated in detail. In contrast to the Gaussian case, the bimodal random field may lead to a tricritical point and a first-order transition. An interesting feature of the phase diagram is the possibility of a first-order transition from paramagnetic to mixed phase.

Effective spin-glass Hamiltonian for the anomalous dynamics of the HMF model

We discuss an effective spin-glass Hamiltonian which can be used to study the glassy-like dynamics observed in the metastable states of the Hamiltonian mean field (HMF) model. By means of the Replica formalism, we were able to find a self-consistent equation for the glassy order parameter which reproduces, in a restricted energy region below the phase transition, the microcanonical simulations for the polarization order parameter recently introduced in the HMF model.

Griffiths Singularity in the Random Ising Ferromagnet

The explicit form of the Griffiths singularity in the random ferromagnetic Ising model in external magnetic field is derived. In terms of the continuous random temperature Ginzburg-Landau Hamiltonian it is shown that in the paramagnetic phase away from the critical point the free energy as the function of the external magnetic field h in the limit h -> 0 has the essential singularity of the form $\exp[-(const)h^{-D/3}]$ (where 1<D<4 is the space dimensionality). It is demonstrated that in terms of the replica formalism this contribution to the free energy comes due to off-perturbative replica instanton excitations.

Anderson Localization from the Replica Formalism

We study Anderson localization in quasi-one-dimensional disordered wires within the framework of the replica sigma model. Applying a semiclassical approach (geodesic action plus Gaussian fluctuations) recently introduced within the context of supersymmetry by Lamacraft, Simons, and Zirnbauer, we compute the exact density of transmission matrix eigenvalues of superconducting wires (of symmetry class CI.) For the unitary class of metallic systems (class A) we are able to obtain the density function, save for its large transmission tail.

Dynamical scaling behavior of percolation clusters in scale-free networks.

In this work we investigate the spectra of Laplacian matrices that determine many dynamic properties of scale-free networks below and at the percolation threshold. We use a replica formalism to develop analytically, based on an integral equation, a systematic way to determine the ensemble averaged eigenvalue spectrum for a general type of treelike networks. Close to the percolation threshold we find characteristic scaling functions for the density of states rho(lambda) of scale-free networks. rho(lambda) shows characteristic power laws rho (lambda) approximately lambda (alpha(1) ) or rho (lambda) approximately lambda (d(2) ) for small lambda, where alpha(1) holds below and alpha(2) at the percolation threshold. In the range where the spectra are accessible from a numerical diagonalization procedure the two methods lead to very similar results.

Replicated transfer matrix analysis of Ising spin models on small world lattices

We calculate equilibrium solutions for Ising spin models on `small world' lattices, which are constructed by super-imposing random and sparse Poissonian graphs with finite average connectivity c onto a one-dimensional ring. The nearest neighbour bonds along the ring are ferromagnetic, whereas those corresponding to the Poisonnian graph are allowed to be random. Our models thus generally contain quenched connectivity and bond disorder. Within the replica formalism, calculating the disorder-averaged free energy requires the diagonalization of replicated transfer matrices. In addition to developing the general replica symmetric theory, we derive phase diagrams and calculate effective field distributions for two specific cases: that of uniform sparse long-range bonds (i.e. `small world' magnets), and that of (+J/-J) random sparse long-range bonds (i.e. `small world' spin-glasses).