Non-Ergodic Dynamics of the 2D Random-phase Sine-Gordon Model: Applications to Vortex-Glass Arrays and Disordered-Substrate Surfaces

TL;DR

This paper investigates the non-ergodic dynamics of the 2D random-phase sine-Gordon model, revealing temperature-dependent behaviors, violation of fluctuation-dissipation theorem, and agreement with replica-symmetry breaking and simulations.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the model's dynamics using the Hartree approximation, highlighting non-ergodic behavior and static correlations across phase transitions.

Findings

Below T_c, the autocorrelation function approaches a finite value q*

Above T_c, static correlations behave as Tln{x}

The transition can become first-order under strong coupling

Abstract

The dynamics of the random-phase sine-Gordon model, which describes 2D vortex-glass arrays and crystalline surfaces on disordered substrates, is investigated using the self-consistent Hartree approximation. The fluctuation-dissipation theorem is violated below the critical temperature T_c for large time t>t* where t* diverges in the thermodynamic limit. While above T_c the averaged autocorrelation function diverges as Tln(t), for T<T_c it approaches a finite value q* proportional to 1/(T_c-T) as q(t) = q* - c(t/t*)^{-\nu} (for t --> t*) where \nu is a temperature-dependent exponent. On larger time scales t > t* the dynamics becomes non-ergodic. The static correlations behave as Tln{x} for T>T_c and for T<T_c when x < \xi* with \xi* proportional to exp{A/(T_c-T)}. For scales x > \xi*, they behave as (T/m)ln{x} where m is approximately T/T_c near T_c, in general agreement with the variational replica-symmetry breaking approach and with recent simulations of the disordered-substrate surface. For strong- coupling the transition becomes first-order.