TY - JOUR
T1 - Universality classes for line-depinning transitions
AU - Kolomeisky, Eugene B.
AU - Straley, Joseph P.
PY - 1992
Y1 - 1992
N2 - The universality classes and exact critical singularities for line-depinning transitions in a space of d transverse dimensions are determined using a renormalization method. Pinning potentials that fall off faster with distance than 1/r2 lead to nontrivial first-order phase transitions above the upper critical dimensionality d=4, and to second-order transitions for d<4. For d=2 the free-energy density has an essential singularity of the form exp(-1/τ), were τ is the thermal scaling field. The next-nearest corrections to the free energy will be calculated for the case where the long-range part of the pinning potential decays faster than 1/r2. Pinning potentials containing an inverse square tail can give rise to a nontrivial first-order phase transition above an upper critical dimension, second-order transitions with nonuniversal exponents, or Kosterlitz-Thouless-like transitions with a multicritical point between the last two regimes, depending on the strength of the interaction. Attractive pinning potentials decaying slower than 1/r2 prevent depinning transitions at finite temperature, whereas repulsive ones in the presence of short-range attraction lead to first-order transitions.
AB - The universality classes and exact critical singularities for line-depinning transitions in a space of d transverse dimensions are determined using a renormalization method. Pinning potentials that fall off faster with distance than 1/r2 lead to nontrivial first-order phase transitions above the upper critical dimensionality d=4, and to second-order transitions for d<4. For d=2 the free-energy density has an essential singularity of the form exp(-1/τ), were τ is the thermal scaling field. The next-nearest corrections to the free energy will be calculated for the case where the long-range part of the pinning potential decays faster than 1/r2. Pinning potentials containing an inverse square tail can give rise to a nontrivial first-order phase transition above an upper critical dimension, second-order transitions with nonuniversal exponents, or Kosterlitz-Thouless-like transitions with a multicritical point between the last two regimes, depending on the strength of the interaction. Attractive pinning potentials decaying slower than 1/r2 prevent depinning transitions at finite temperature, whereas repulsive ones in the presence of short-range attraction lead to first-order transitions.
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U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevB.46.12664
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevB.46.12664
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0001454223
SN - 0163-1829
VL - 46
SP - 12664
EP - 12674
JO - Physical Review B
JF - Physical Review B
IS - 19
ER -