Dynamic Avalanches: Rate-Controlled Switching and Race Conditions

TL;DR

This paper explores how internal dynamics and race conditions in metamaterials lead to dynamic avalanches, enabling control over cascade behaviors for advanced material functionalities.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of dynamic avalanches driven by internal dynamics and race conditions, offering new design principles for metamaterials.

Findings

Dynamic avalanches arise from internal flipping dynamics and race conditions.

Controlled flipping times enable manipulation of avalanche pathways.

The work demonstrates dynamic control over cascade behaviors in metamaterials.

Abstract

Avalanches are rapid cascades of rearrangements driven by cooperative flipping of hysteretic local elements. Here we show that flipping dynamics and race conditions -- where multiple elements become unstable simultaneously -- give rise to dynamic avalanches that cannot be captured by static models of interacting elements. We realize dynamic avalanches in metamaterials with controlled flipping times and demonstrate how this allows us to modify, promote, and direct avalanche behavior. Our work elucidates the crucial role of internal dynamics in complex materials and introduces dynamic design principles for materializing targeted pathways and sequential functionalities.