Stretched-exponential relaxation in weakly-confined Brownian systems through large deviation theory

TL;DR

This paper analytically investigates stretched-exponential relaxation in weakly-confined Brownian systems using large deviation theory, revealing a dynamical phase transition and multiple rate functions depending on initial conditions.

Contribution

It introduces a general framework for understanding stretched-exponential relaxation in weakly-confined Brownian particles through large deviation analysis, identifying a dynamical phase transition.

Findings

Observed stretched-exponential relaxation in a memoryless Brownian model.

Derived an analytical expression for the relaxation exponent.

Identified a dynamical phase transition via nonanalyticity in the rate function.

Abstract

Stretched-exponential relaxation is a widely observed phenomenon found in ordered ferromagnets as well as glassy systems. One modeling approach connects this behavior to a droplet dynamics described by an effective Langevin equation for the droplet radius with a $r^{2/3}$ potential. Here, we study a Brownian particle under the influence of a general confining, albeit weak, potential field that grows with distance as a sub-linear power law. We find that for this memoryless model, observables display stretched-exponential relaxation. The probability density function of the system is studied using a rate function ansatz. We obtain analytically the stretched-exponential exponent along with an anomalous power-law scaling of length with time. The rate function exhibits a point of nonanalyticity, indicating a dynamical phase transition. In particular, the rate function is double-valued both to the left and right of this point, leading to four different rate functions, depending on the choice of initial conditions and symmetry.