Equilibrium-like fluctuations in some boundary-driven open diffusive systems

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that certain boundary-driven open diffusive systems exhibit universal fluctuation features akin to equilibrium systems, and explores the potential for dynamic phase transitions driven by particle current.

Contribution

The authors establish a mapping linking boundary-driven open diffusive systems to equilibrium systems, revealing universal fluctuation behavior and opening avenues to observe phase transitions.

Findings

Particle current fluctuations follow Edwards-Wilkinson universality class.

Mapping to equilibrium systems explains fluctuation universality.

Potential for observing dynamic phase transitions via current control.

Abstract

There exist some boundary-driven open systems with diffusive dynamics whose particle current fluctuations exhibit universal features that belong to the Edwards-Wilkinson universality class. We achieve this result by establishing a mapping, for the system's fluctuations, to an equivalent open --yet equilibrium-- diffusive system. We discuss the possibility of observing dynamic phase transitions using the particle current as a control parameter.