Escaping kinetic traps using non-reciprocal interactions

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel method to escape kinetic traps in self-assembly systems by employing non-reciprocal interactions, leveraging non-equilibrium effects to overcome arrested dynamics and improve system relaxation.

Contribution

It introduces non-reciprocal interactions as a mechanism to escape kinetic traps, a new approach in controlling self-assembly and arrested systems.

Findings

Non-reciprocal interactions enable systems to escape kinetic traps.

Broken action-reaction symmetry induces non-equilibrium effects.

Potential applications in self-assembly and glassy systems.

Abstract

Kinetic traps are a notorious problem in equilibrium statistical mechanics, where temperature quenches ultimately fail to bring the system to low energy configurations. Using multifarious self-assembly as a model system, we introduce a mechanism to escape kinetic traps by utilizing non-reciprocal interactions between components. Introducing non-equilibrium effects offered by broken action-reaction symmetry in the system, we can push the trajectory of the system out of arrested dynamics. The dynamics of the model is studied using tools from the physics of interfaces and defects. Our proposal can find applications in self-assembly, glassy systems and systems with arrested dynamics.