Dynamical transitions in correlated driven diffusion in a periodic potential

TL;DR

This paper investigates the complex dynamical phase transitions of a driven particle array in a periodic potential, revealing hysteresis and quasi-particle behavior, advancing understanding in nanotribology.

Contribution

It introduces a phenomenological model reducing the system to weakly interacting quasi-particles, explaining the observed dynamical transitions and hysteresis in driven diffusion.

Findings

Hierarchy of dynamical phase transitions observed

Hysteretic behavior persists at non-zero temperature

Phenomenological model captures key dynamics

Abstract

The diffusion of a two-dimensional array of particles driven by a constant force in the presence of a periodic external potential exhibits a hierarchy of dynamical phase transitions when the driving force is varied. This behavior can be explained by a simple phenomenological approach which reduces the system of strongly interacting particles to weakly interacting quasi-particles (kinks). The richness of the strongly coupled system is however not lost because, contrary to a single-Brownian particle, the array shows an hysteretic behavior even at non-zero temperature. The present investigation can be viewed as a first step toward understanding nanotribology.