Metastable states and space-time phase transitions in a spin-glass model

TL;DR

This paper investigates dynamical phase transitions in a spin-glass model, revealing space-time transitions between active and inactive phases, linked to metastable states, with implications for understanding glassy systems.

Contribution

It demonstrates the presence of dynamical phase transitions in the random orthogonal model, connecting metastability to space-time phase behavior in spin glasses.

Findings

Identification of singularities in large deviation functions indicating phase transitions

Evidence that such dynamical transitions are common in systems with metastable states

Connection of space-time phase transitions to glassy dynamics

Abstract

We study large deviations of the dynamical activity in the random orthogonal model (ROM). This is a fully connected spin-glass model with one-step replica symmetry breaking behaviour, consistent with the random first-order transition scenario for structural glasses. We show that this model displays dynamical (space-time) phase-transitions between active and inactive phases, as demonstrated by singularities in large deviation functions. We argue that such transitions are generic in systems with long-lived metastable states.