Promoting collaboration across the theoretical sciences
neuron star.jpg

Calendar

Back to All Events

Condensed Matter Seminar

  • Room 5209, The Graduate Center CUNY 365 5th Avenue New York, NY, 10016 United States (map)

Condensed Matter Seminar


11am - Anomalous thermal relaxations of physical systems,

Marija Vucelja

Assistant Professor of Physics and of Mathematics
Department of Physics, University of Virginia

Abstract -

Rapid cooling or heating of a physical system can lead to unusual thermal relaxation phenomena. A prime example of anomalous thermal relaxation is the Mpemba effect. The phenomenon occurs when a system prepared at a hot temperature overtakes an identical system prepared at a warm temperature and equilibrates faster to the cold environment. A similar effect exists in heating. Comparing two identical physical systems in their equilibration, we would expect that the system with a smaller mismatch between its and the environment’s temperature will thermalize faster – yet it is not always the case. I will present theoretical results on the Mpemba effect in over-damped Langevin dynamics and Markov jump processes. I will link the Mpemba effect’s occurrence with the physical systems’ properties and dynamics. In particular, I will derive the necessary conditions for the Mpemba effect in the small diffusion limit of one-dimensional over-damped Langevin dynamics on a double-well potential. Our results show the strong Mpemba effect occurs when the probability of being in a well at initial and bath temperature match, which agrees with experiments. I also derive the conditions for the weak Mpemba effect and express the conditions for both effects in terms of mean first passage time. Next, I will provide analytical results and insights on when the Mpemba effect happens in Markov jump processes as a function of the dynamics. Markov jump processes that obey detailed balance (microscopic reversibility) relax to equilibrium. However, the detailed balance only determines the ratio of the backward and forward rates, not their magnitudes. The magnitudes specify the dynamics. I will introduce a control parameter to vary the dynamics and show when we see the effect as a function of the dynamics. Lastly, I will explore the connections between the Mpemba effect and optimal transport.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No.
DMR-1944539.

12pm - Lunch

1pm - Topological tellurium: Nature's first negative inductor

Marcello B. Silva Neto,

Condensed Mater Theory Group - Federal University of Rio de Janeiro

Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory (LNNano),
CNPEM - Campinas/SP, Brazil

Abstract -

Inductors are  effective in storing magnetic energy but they also give rise to a positive reactance, limiting power capacity and efficiency. To compensate for such reactance one often employs capacitors thorough careful engineering and a precise match of resonance frequencies. Negative inductors, on the other hand, have the potential to allow for the compensation of reactances without costly realizations. Negative inductors are, however, are not stable and not available in Nature. Here we present topological tellurium as Nature's first negative inductor. Experimentally, our impedance measurements show that tellurium possesses indeed a very strong and negative reactance, with record breaking values for its self-inductance, which can be fine tuned by external parameters. Theoretically, owing to its unique topological and gyrotropic properties we demonstrate that the negative inductance in tellurium is fully emergent, arises from complexity, and is therefore stable. 


ORGANIZER

Vadim Oganesyan (CSI/GC-CUNY)