Monte Carlo study of the site-percolation model in two and three dimensions

Modulation of the morphotropic phase boundary for high-performance ductile thermoelectric materials

The flexible thermoelectric technique, which can convert heat from the human body to electricity via the Seebeck effect, is expected to provide a peerless solution for the power supply of wearables. The recent discovery of ductile semiconductors has opened a new avenue for flexible thermoelectric technology, but their power factor and figure-of-merit values are still much lower than those of classic thermoelectric materials. Herein, we demonstrate the presence of morphotropic phase boundary in Ag2Se-Ag2S pseudobinary compounds. The morphotropic phase boundary can be freely tuned by adjusting the material thermal treatment processes. High-performance ductile thermoelectric materials with excellent power factor (22 μWcm-1 K-2) and figure-of-merit (0.61) values are realized near the morphotropic phase boundary at 300 K. These materials perform better than all existing ductile inorganic semiconductors and organic materials. Furthermore, the in-plane flexible thermoelectric device based on these high-performance thermoelectric materials demonstrates a normalized maximum power density reaching 0.26 Wm-1 under a temperature gradient of 20 K, which is at least two orders of magnitude higher than those of flexible organic thermoelectric devices. This work can greatly accelerate the development of flexible thermoelectric technology.

Site percolation in distorted square and simple cubic lattices with flexible number of neighbors

This paper exhibits a Monte Carlo study on site percolation using the Newmann-Ziff algorithm in distorted square and simple cubic lattices where each site is allowed to be directly linked with any other site if the Euclidean separation between the pair is at most a certain distance d, called the connection threshold. Distorted lattices are formed from regular lattices by a random but controlled dislocation of the sites with the help of a parameter α, called the distortion parameter. The distinctive feature of this study is the relaxation of the restriction of forming bonds with only the nearest neighbors. Owing to this flexibility and the intricate interplay between the two parameters α and d, the site percolation threshold may either increase or decrease with distortion. The dependence of the percolation threshold on the average degree of a site has been explored to show that the obtained results are consistent with those on percolation in regular lattices with an extended neighborhood and continuum percolation.

Percolation in a simple cubic lattice with distortion

Site percolation in a distorted simple cubic lattice is characterized numerically employing the Newman-Ziff algorithm. Distortion is administered in the lattice by systematically and randomly dislocating its sites from their regular positions. The amount of distortion is tunable by a parameter called the distortion parameter. In this model, two occupied neighboring sites are considered connected only if the distance between them is less than a predefined value called the connection threshold. It is observed that the percolation threshold always increases with distortion if the connection threshold is equal to or greater than the lattice constant of the regular lattice. On the other hand, if the connection threshold is less than the lattice constant, the percolation threshold first decreases and then increases steadily as distortion is increased. It is shown that the variation of the percolation threshold can be well explained by the change in the fraction of occupied bonds with distortion. The values of the relevant critical exponents of the transition strongly indicate that percolation in regular and distorted simple cubic lattices belong to the same universality class. It is also demonstrated that this model is intrinsically distinct from the site-bond percolation model.

Scattering signatures of invasion percolation

Motivated by recent experiments, we investigate the scattering properties of percolation clusters generated by numerical simulations on a three-dimensional cubic lattice. Individual clusters of given size are shown to present a fractal structure up to a scale of order of their extent, even far away from the percolation threshold p_{c}. The influence of intercluster correlations on the structure factor of assemblies of clusters selected by an invasion phenomenon is studied in detail. For invasion from bulk germs, we show that the scattering properties are determined by three length scales, the correlation length ξ, the average distance between germs d_{g}, and the spatial scale probed by scattering, set by the inverse of the scattering wave vector Q. At small scales, we find that the fractal structure of individual clusters is retained, the structure factor decaying as Q^{-d_{f}}. At large scales, the structure factor tends to a limit, set by the smaller of ξ and d_{g}, both below and above p_{c}. We propose approximate expressions reproducing the simulated structure factor for arbitrary ξ, d_{g}, and Q, and illustrate how they can be used to avoid to resort to costly numerical simulations. For invasion from surfaces, we find that, at p_{c}, the structure factor behaves as Q^{-d_{f}} at all Q, i.e., the fractal structure is retained at arbitrarily large scales. Results away from p_{c} are compared to the case of bulk germs. Our results can be applied to discuss light or neutrons scattering experiments on percolating systems. This is illustrated in the context of evaporation from porous materials.

Postprocessing techniques for gradient percolation predictions on the square lattice

In this work, we revisit the classic problem of site percolation on a regular square lattice. In particular, we investigate the effect of quantization bias errors on percolation threshold predictions for large probability gradients and propose a mitigation strategy. We demonstrate through extensive computational experiments that the assumption of a linear relationship between probability gradient and percolation threshold used in previous investigations is invalid. Moreover, we demonstrate that, due to skewness in the distribution of occupation probabilities visited the average does not converge monotonically to the true percolation threshold. We identify several alternative metrics which do exhibit monotonic (albeit not linear) convergence and document their observed convergence rates.

Critical p=1/2 in percolation on semi-infinite strips

We study site percolation on lattices confined to a semi-infinite strip. For triangular and square lattices we find that the probability that a cluster touches the three sides of such a system at the percolation threshold has a continuous limit of 1/2 and argue that this limit is universal for planar systems. This value is also expected to hold for finite systems for any self-matching lattice. We attribute this result to the asymptotic symmetry of the separation lines between alternating spanning clusters of occupied and unoccupied sites formed on the original and matching lattice, respectively.

Dynamics around the site percolation threshold on high-dimensional hypercubic lattices

Recent advances on the glass problem motivate reexamining classical models of percolation. Here we consider the displacement of an ant in a labyrinth near the percolation threshold on cubic lattices both below and above the upper critical dimension of simple percolation, d_{u}=6. Using theory and simulations, we consider the scaling regime and obtain that both caging and subdiffusion scale logarithmically for d≥d_{u}. The theoretical derivation, which considers Bethe lattices with generalized connectivity and a random graph model, confirms that logarithmic scalings should persist in the limit d→∞. The computational validation employs accelerated random walk simulations with a transfer-matrix description of diffusion to evaluate directly the dynamical critical exponents below d_{u} as well as their logarithmic scaling above d_{u}. Our numerical results improve various earlier estimates and are fully consistent with our theoretical predictions.

Geometric properties of the Fortuin-Kasteleyn representation of the Ising model

We present a Monte Carlo study of the geometric properties of Fortuin-Kasteleyn (FK) clusters of the Ising model on square [two-dimensional (2D)] and simple-cubic [three-dimensional (3D)] lattices. The wrapping probability, a dimensionless quantity characterizing the topology of the FK clusters on a torus, is found to suffer from smaller finite-size corrections than the well-known Binder ratio and yields a high-precision critical coupling as K_{c}(3D)=0.221654631(8). We then study other geometric properties of FK clusters at criticality. It is demonstrated that the distribution of the critical largest-cluster size C_{1} follows a single-variable function as P(C_{1},L)dC_{1}=P[over ̃](x)dx with x≡C_{1}/L^{d_{F}} (L is the linear size), where the fractal dimension d_{F} is identical to the magnetic exponent. An interesting bimodal feature is observed in distribution P[over ̃](x) in three dimensions, and attributed to the different approaching behaviors for K→K_{c}+0^{±}. To characterize the compactness of the FK clusters, we measure their graph distances and determine the shortest-path exponents as d_{min}(3D)=1.25936(12) and d_{min}(2D)=1.0940(2). Further, by excluding all the bridges from the occupied bonds, we obtain bridge-free configurations and determine the backbone exponents as d_{B}(3D)=2.1673(15) and d_{B}(2D)=1.7321(4). The estimates of the universal wrapping probabilities for the 3D Ising model and of the geometric critical exponents d_{min} and d_{B} either improve over the existing results or have not been reported yet. We believe that these numerical results would provide a testing ground in the development of further theoretical treatments of the 3D Ising model.

Critical percolation clusters in seven dimensions and on a complete graph

We study critical bond percolation on a seven-dimensional hypercubic lattice with periodic boundary conditions (7D) and on the complete graph (CG) of finite volume (number of vertices) V. We numerically confirm that for both cases, the critical number density n(s,V) of clusters of size s obeys a scaling form n(s,V)∼s^{-τ}n[over ̃](s/V^{d_{f}^{*}}) with identical volume fractal dimension d_{f}^{*}=2/3 and exponent τ=1+1/d_{f}^{*}=5/2. We then classify occupied bonds into bridge bonds, which includes branch and junction bonds, and nonbridge bonds; a bridge bond is a branch bond if and only if its deletion produces at least one tree. Deleting branch bonds from percolation configurations produces leaf-free configurations, whereas deleting all bridge bonds leads to bridge-free configurations composed of blobs. It is shown that the fraction of nonbridge (biconnected) bonds vanishes, ρ_{n,CG}→0, for large CGs, but converges to a finite value, ρ_{n,7D}=0.0061931(7), for the 7D hypercube. Further, we observe that while the bridge-free dimension d_{bf}^{*}=1/3 holds for both the CG and 7D cases, the volume fractal dimensions of the leaf-free clusters are different: d_{lf,7D}^{*}=0.669(9)≈2/3 and d_{lf,CG}^{*}=0.3337(17)≈1/3. On the CG and in 7D, the whole, leaf-free, and bridge-free clusters all have the shortest-path volume fractal dimension d_{min}^{*}≈1/3, characterizing their graph diameters. We also study the behavior of the number and the size distribution of leaf-free and bridge-free clusters. For the number of clusters, we numerically find the number of leaf-free and bridge-free clusters on the CG scale as ∼lnV, while for 7D they scale as ∼V. For the size distribution, we find the behavior on the CG is governed by a modified Fisher exponent τ^{'}=1, while for leaf-free clusters in 7D, it is governed by Fisher exponent τ=5/2. The size distribution of bridge-free clusters in 7D displays two-scaling behavior with exponents τ=4 and τ^{'}=1. The probability distribution P(C_{1},V)dC_{1} of the largest cluster of size C_{1} for whole percolation configurations is observed to follow a single-variable function P[over ¯](x)dx, with x≡C_{1}/V^{d_{f}^{*}} for both CG and 7D. Up to a rescaling factor for the variable x, the probability functions for CG and 7D collapse on top of each other within the entire range of x. The analytical expressions in the x→0 and x→∞ limits are further confirmed. Our work demonstrates that the geometric structure of high-dimensional percolation clusters cannot be fully accounted for by their complete-graph counterparts.

Disorder-Induced Revival of the Bose-Einstein Condensation in Ni(Cl_{1-x}Br_{x})_{2}-4SC(NH_{2})_{2} at High Magnetic Fields

Building on recent NMR experiments [A. Orlova et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 067203 (2017).PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.118.067203], we theoretically investigate the high magnetic field regime of the disordered quasi-one-dimensional S=1 antiferromagnetic material Ni(Cl_{1-x}Br_{x})_{2}-4SC(NH_{2})_{2}. The interplay between disorder, chemically controlled by Br-doping, interactions, and the external magnetic field, leads to a very rich phase diagram. Beyond the well-known antiferromagnetically ordered regime, an analog of a Bose condensate of magnons, which disappears when H≥12.3  T, we unveil a resurgence of phase coherence at a higher field H∼13.6  T, induced by the doping. Interchain couplings stabilize the finite temperature long-range order whose extension in the field-temperature space is governed by the concentration of impurities x. Such a "minicondensation" contrasts with previously reported Bose-glass physics in the same regime and should be accessible to experiments.

Critical Fragmentation Properties of Random Drilling: How Many Holes Need to Be Drilled to Collapse a Wooden Cube?

A solid wooden cube fragments into pieces as we sequentially drill holes through it randomly. This seemingly straightforward observation encompasses deep and nontrivial geometrical and probabilistic behavior that is discussed here. Combining numerical simulations and rigorous results, we find off-critical scale-free behavior and a continuous transition at a critical density of holes that significantly differs from classical percolation.

Monte Carlo simulation of diffusion and ionic conductivity in a simple cubic random alloy via the interstitialcy mechanism

This Monte Carlo study deals with mass and charge transport in binary ionic alloys governed by interstitialcy defects acting as diffusion vehicles. In particular, we calculate tracer correlation factors f(A) and f(B) in a simple cubic random alloy AB for diffusion via the collinear interstitialcy mechanism as a function of composition and jump frequency ratio wA/wB. [corrected]. Interstitialcy correlation factors f(I), which play a crucial role in the interpretation of ion-conductivity data, are also determined. The evaluation of partial correlation factors provides insight into the types of jumps that mostly contribute to the different transport processes under consideration. Examination of the percolation behaviour yields the site-percolation threshold of the mobile component B for w(A) = 0. Surprisingly, a unique second-order threshold composition is found, which relates to the abundance of different interstitialcy jump types when wA << wB [corrected]. Both numerically obtained threshold values are accurately reproduced by estimated analytical expressions based on simple arguments. Practical implications of the simulation results are explored by calculating tracer diffusivity ratios D*(A)/D*(B) and by comparing self-diffusion with ionic conductivity using the Nernst-Einstein equation.

Percolation of the site random-cluster model by Monte Carlo method

We propose a site random-cluster model by introducing an additional cluster weight in the partition function of the traditional site percolation. To simulate the model on a square lattice, we combine the color-assignation and the Swendsen-Wang methods to design a highly efficient cluster algorithm with a small critical slowing-down phenomenon. To verify whether or not it is consistent with the bond random-cluster model, we measure several quantities, such as the wrapping probability Re, the percolating cluster density P∞, and the magnetic susceptibility per site χp, as well as two exponents, such as the thermal exponent yt and the fractal dimension yh of the percolating cluster. We find that for different exponents of cluster weight q=1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, and 4, the numerical estimation of the exponents yt and yh are consistent with the theoretical values. The universalities of the site random-cluster model and the bond random-cluster model are completely identical. For larger values of q, we find obvious signatures of the first-order percolation transition by the histograms and the hysteresis loops of percolating cluster density and the energy per site. Our results are helpful for the understanding of the percolation of traditional statistical models.

Percolation transitions in the survival of interdependent agents on multiplex networks, catastrophic cascades, and solid-on-solid surface growth

We present an efficient algorithm for simulating percolation transitions of mutually supporting viable clusters on multiplex networks (also known as "catastrophic cascades on interdependent networks"). This algorithm maps the problem onto a solid-on-solid-type model. We use this algorithm to study interdependent agents on duplex Erdös-Rényi (ER) networks and on lattices with dimensions 2, 3, 4, and 5. We obtain surprising results in all these cases, and we correct statements in the literature for ER networks and for two-dimensional lattices. In particular, we find that d=4 is the upper critical dimension and that the percolation transition is continuous for d≤4 but-at least for d≠3-not in the universality class of ordinary percolation. For ER networks we verify that the cluster statistics is exactly described by mean-field theory but find evidence that the cascade process is not. For d=5 we find a first-order transition as for ER networks, but we find also that small clusters have a nontrivial mass distribution that scales at the transition point. Finally, for d=2 with intermediate-range dependency links we propose a scenario that differs from that proposed in W. Li et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 108, 228702 (2012)].

Simple cubic random-site percolation thresholds for neighborhoods containing fourth-nearest neighbors

In this paper, random-site percolation thresholds for a simple cubic (SC) lattice with site neighborhoods containing next-next-next-nearest neighbors (4NN) are evaluated with Monte Carlo simulations. A recently proposed algorithm with low sampling for percolation thresholds estimation (Bastas et al., arXiv:1411.5834) is implemented for the studies of the top-bottom wrapping probability. The obtained percolation thresholds are p(C)(4NN)=0.31160(12),p(C)(4NN+NN)=0.15040(12),p(C)(4NN+2NN)=0.15950(12),p(C)(4NN+3NN)=0.20490(12),p(C)(4NN+2NN+NN)=0.11440(12),p(C)(4NN+3NN+NN)=0.11920(12),p(C)(4NN+3NN+2NN)=0.11330(12), and p(C)(4NN+3NN+2NN+NN)=0.10000(12), where 3NN, 2NN, and NN stand for next-next-nearest neighbors, next-nearest neighbors, and nearest neighbors, respectively. As an SC lattice with 4NN neighbors may be mapped onto two independent interpenetrated SC lattices but with a lattice constant that is twice as large, the percolation threshold p(C)(4NN) is exactly equal to p(C)(NN). The simplified method of Bastas et al. allows for uncertainty of the percolation threshold value p(C) to be reached, similar to that obtained with the classical method but ten times faster.

Scaling of the spanning threshold in gradient percolation

A simple and fast way to apply correlations in percolation simulations is to apply a uniform gradient to the occupancy probabilities. For small networks, exact results are presented here for the spanning thresholds in site percolation with a gradient for networks up to 4×4 in two dimensions and 2×2×2 in three dimensions. Numerical results are provided for larger networks that extrapolate to a linear modification of the threshold proportional to the gradient for moderate values of the gradient.

Loop-erased random walk on a percolation cluster: crossover from Euclidean to fractal geometry

We study loop-erased random walk (LERW) on the percolation cluster, with occupation probability p ≥ p_{c}, in two and three dimensions. We find that the fractal dimensions of LERW_{p} are close to normal LERW in a Euclidean lattice, for all p>p_{c}. However, our results reveal that LERW on critical incipient percolation clusters is fractal with d_{f}=1.217 ± 0.002 for d=2 and 1.43 ± 0.02 for d=3, independent of the coordination number of the lattice. These values are consistent with the known values for optimal path exponents in strongly disordered media. We investigate how the behavior of the LERW_{p} crosses over from Euclidean to fractal geometry by gradually decreasing the value of the parameter p from 1 to p_{c}. For finite systems, two crossover exponents and a scaling relation can be derived. This work opens up a theoretical window regarding the diffusion process on fractal and random landscapes.

Gate control of percolative conduction in strongly correlated manganite films

Gate control of percolative conduction in a phase-separated manganite system is demonstrated in a field-effect transistor geometry, resulting in ambipolar switching from a metallic state to an insulating state.

Phase transitions in pancreatic islet cellular networks and implications for type-1 diabetes

In many aspects the onset of a chronic disease resembles a phase transition in a complex dynamic system: Quantitative changes accumulate largely unnoticed until a critical threshold is reached, which causes abrupt qualitative changes of the system. In this study we examine a special case, the onset of type-1 diabetes (T1D), a disease that results from loss of the insulin-producing pancreatic islet β cells. Within each islet, the β cells are electrically coupled to each other via gap-junctional channels. This intercellular coupling enables the β cells to synchronize their insulin release, thereby generating the multiscale temporal rhythms in blood insulin that are critical to maintaining blood glucose homeostasis. Using percolation theory we show how normal islet function is intrinsically linked to network connectivity. In particular, the critical amount of β-cell death at which the islet cellular network loses site percolation is consistent with laboratory and clinical observations of the threshold loss of β cells that causes islet functional failure. In addition, numerical simulations confirm that the islet cellular network needs to be percolated for β cells to synchronize. Furthermore, the interplay between site percolation and bond strength predicts the existence of a transient phase of islet functional recovery after onset of T1D and introduction of treatment, potentially explaining the honeymoon phenomenon. Based on these results, we hypothesize that the onset of T1D may be the result of a phase transition of the islet β-cell network.

Bond and site percolation in three dimensions

We simulate the bond and site percolation models on a simple-cubic lattice with linear sizes up to L=512, and estimate the percolation thresholds to be p(c)(bond)=0.24881182(10) and p(c)(site)=0.3116077(2). By performing extensive simulations at these estimated critical points, we then estimate the critical exponents 1/ν=1.1410(15), β/ν=0.47705(15), the leading correction exponent y(i)=-1.2(2), and the shortest-path exponent d(min)=1.3756(3). Various universal amplitudes are also obtained, including wrapping probabilities, ratios associated with the cluster-size distribution, and the excess cluster number. We observe that the leading finite-size corrections in certain wrapping probabilities are governed by an exponent ≈-2, rather than y(i)≈-1.2.

Shortest-path fractal dimension for percolation in two and three dimensions

We carry out a high-precision Monte Carlo study of the shortest-path fractal dimension d(min) for percolation in two and three dimensions, using the Leath-Alexandrowicz method which grows a cluster from an active seed site. A variety of quantities are sampled as a function of the chemical distance, including the number of activated sites, a measure of the radius, and the survival probability. By finite-size scaling, we determine d(min)=1.13077(2) and 1.3756(6) in two and three dimensions, respectively. The result in two dimensions rules out the recently conjectured value d(min)=217/192 [Deng et al., Phys. Rev. E 81, 020102(R) (2010)].

How to share underground reservoirs

Many resources, such as oil, gas, or water, are extracted from porous soils and their exploration is often shared among different companies or nations. We show that the effective shares can be obtained by invading the porous medium simultaneously with various fluids. Partitioning a volume in two parts requires one division surface while the simultaneous boundary between three parts consists of lines. We identify and characterize these lines, showing that they form a fractal set consisting of a single thread spanning the medium and a surrounding cloud of loops. While the spanning thread has fractal dimension 1.55 ± 0.03, the set of all lines has dimension 1.69 ± 0.02. The size distribution of the loops follows a power law and the evolution of the set of lines exhibits a tricritical point described by a crossover with a negative dimension at criticality.

Crossover from isotropic to directed percolation

We generalize the directed percolation (DP) model by relaxing the strict directionality of DP such that propagation can occur in either direction but with anisotropic probabilities. We denote the probabilities as p(↓) = pp(d) and p(↑) = p(1-p(d)), with p representing the average occupation probability and p(d) controlling the anisotropy. The Leath-Alexandrowicz method is used to grow a cluster from an active seed site. We call this model with two main growth directions biased directed percolation (BDP). Standard isotropic percolation (IP) and DP are the two limiting cases of the BDP model, corresponding to p(d) =1/2 and p(d) = 0,1 respectively. In this work, besides IP and DP, we also consider the 1/2 < p(d) <1 region. Extensive Monte Carlo simulations are carried out on the square and the simple-cubic lattices, and the numerical data are analyzed by finite-size scaling. We locate the percolation thresholds of the BDP model for p(d) = 0.6 and 0.8, and determine various critical exponents. These exponents are found to be consistent with those for standard DP. We also determine the renormalization exponent associated with the asymmetric perturbation due to p(d)-1/2 ≠ 0 near IP, and confirm that such an asymmetric scaling field is relevant at IP.

Agglomerative percolation on bipartite networks: nonuniversal behavior due to spontaneous symmetry breaking at the percolation threshold

Ordinary bond percolation (OP) can be viewed as a process where clusters grow by joining them pairwise, adding links chosen randomly one by one from a set of predefined virtual links. In contrast, in agglomerative percolation (AP) clusters grow by choosing randomly a target cluster and joining it with all its neighbors, as defined by the same set of virtual links. Previous studies showed that AP is in different universality classes from OP for several types of (virtual) networks (linear chains, trees, Erdös-Rényi networks), but most surprising were the results for two-dimensional (2D) lattices: While AP on the triangular lattice was found to be in the OP universality class, it behaved completely differently on the square lattice. In the present paper we explain this striking violation of universality by invoking bipartivity. While the square lattice is a bipartite graph, the triangular lattice is not. In conformity with this we show that AP on the honeycomb and simple cubic (3D) lattices--both of which are bipartite--are also not in the OP universality classes. More precisely, we claim that this violation of universality is basically due to a Z(2) symmetry that is spontaneously broken at the percolation threshold. We also discuss AP on bipartite random networks and suitable generalizations of AP on k-partite graphs.

Alternative criterion for two-dimensional wrapping percolation

Based on the difference between a spanning cluster and a wrapping cluster, an alternative criterion for testing wrapping percolation is provided for two-dimensional lattices. By following the Newman-Ziff method, the finite size scalings of estimates for percolation thresholds are given. The results are consistent with those from Machta's method.

Universal statistics of vortex lines

We study the vortex lines that are a feature of many random or disordered three-dimensional systems. These show universal statistical properties on long length scales, and geometrical phase transitions analogous to percolation transitions but in distinct universality classes. The field theories for these problems have not previously been identified, so that while many numerical studies have been performed, a framework for interpreting the results has been lacking. We provide such a framework with mappings to simple supersymmetric models. Our main focus is on vortices in short-range-correlated complex fields, which show a geometrical phase transition that we argue is described by the CP(k|k) model (essentially the CP(n-1) model in the replica limit n→1). This can be seen by mapping a lattice version of the problem to a lattice gauge theory. A related field theory with a noncompact gauge field, the 'NCCP(k|k) model', is a supersymmetric extension of the standard dual theory for the XY transition, and we show that XY duality gives another way to understand the appearance of field theories of this type. The supersymmetric descriptions yield results relevant, for example, to vortices in the XY model and in superfluids, to optical vortices, and to certain models of cosmic strings. A distinct but related field theory, the RP(2l|2l) model (or the RP(n-1) model in the limit n→1) describes the unoriented vortices that occur, for instance, in nematic liquid crystals. Finally, we show that in two dimensions, a lattice gauge theory analogous to that discussed in three dimensions gives a simple way to see the known relation between two-dimensional percolation and the CP(k|k) σ model with a θ term.

Percolation transitions are not always sharpened by making networks interdependent

We study a model for coupled networks introduced recently by Buldyrev et al., [Nature (London) 464, 1025 (2010)], where each node has to be connected to others via two types of links to be viable. Removing a critical fraction of nodes leads to a percolation transition that has been claimed to be more abrupt than that for uncoupled networks. Indeed, it was found to be discontinuous in all cases studied. Using an efficient new algorithm we verify that the transition is discontinuous for coupled Erdös-Rényi networks, but find it to be continuous for fully interdependent diluted lattices. In 2 and 3 dimensions, the order parameter exponent β is larger than in ordinary percolation, showing that the transition is less sharp, i.e., further from discontinuity, than for isolated networks. Possible consequences for spatially embedded networks are discussed.

Scaling of cluster heterogeneity in percolation transitions

We investigate a critical scaling law for the cluster heterogeneity H in site and bond percolations in d-dimensional lattices with d = 2,...,6. The cluster heterogeneity is defined as the number of distinct cluster sizes. As an occupation probability p increases, the cluster size distribution evolves from a monodisperse distribution to a polydisperse one in the subcritical phase, and back to a monodisperse one in the supercritical phase. We show analytically that H diverges algebraically, approaching the percolation critical point p(c) as H |p-p(c)|(-1/σ) with the critical exponent σ associated with the characteristic cluster size. Interestingly, its finite-size-scaling behavior is governed by a new exponent ν H = 1+d (f)/(d)ν, where d(f) is the fractal dimension of the critical percolating cluster and ν is the correlation length exponent. The corresponding scaling variable defines a singular path to the critical point. All results are confirmed by numerical simulations.

Evolution of Fe magnetic order in NdFexGa ₁- xO₃

The evolution of the crystal structure and magnetic properties with Fe content in NdFe(x)Ga(1 - x)O(3) has been studied by magnetization, ac-susceptibility, x-ray and neutron scattering techniques for x ≥ 0.2 in order to determine the phase diagram of the series. X-ray diffraction shows that the crystallographic structure of NdFe(x)Ga(1 - x)O(3) can be described in the space group Pbnm for all x values. Both the magnetic ordering and spin reorientation temperatures of the Fe magnetic sublattice decrease with iron concentration due to the presence of magnetic vacancies occupied by Ga. The long-range Fe magnetic ordering disappears for x ≤ 0.3, while ac-susceptibility measurements evidence the presence of short-range Fe ordered clusters and superspin-glass-like effects for x well below the percolation threshold. The magnetic structure of the compounds, including the spin reorientation temperature range, is determined by high-resolution neutron diffraction analysis. Although the presence of finite magnetic clusters for x values close to percolation is evidenced, the study of a percolation quantum phase transition in this series is hindered by the presence of Nd magnetic moments and a sizeable distribution of composition Δx around the nominal value.

Surface and bulk criticality in midpoint percolation

The concept of midpoint percolation has recently been applied to characterize the double percolation transitions in negatively curved structures. Regular d-dimensional hypercubic lattices are investigated in the present work using the same concept. Specifically, the site-percolation transitions at the critical thresholds are investigated for dimensions up to d=10 by means of the Leath algorithm. It is shown that the explicit inclusion of the boundaries provides a straightforward way to obtain critical indices, both for the bulk and surface parts. At and above the critical dimension d=6, it is found that the percolation cluster contains only a finite number of surface points in the infinite-size limit. This is in accordance with the expectation from studies of lattices with negative curvature. It is also found that the number of surface points, reached by the percolation cluster in the infinite limit, approaches 2d for large dimensions d. We also note that the size dependence in proliferation of percolating clusters for d>or=7 can be obtained by solely counting surface points of the midpoint cluster.

Defect generation surrounding nanoparticles in a cross-linked hydrogel network

A detailed understanding of polymer-nanoparticle interactions is a key element in demystifying the reinforcement mechanism for nanocomposites. To decouple the effects of the polymer-nanoparticle interactions from the particle distribution, we utilized polymerized crystalline colloidal arrays based on a thermosensitive hydrogel, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAAm). First, the hydrogel network structure in the vicinity of the nanoparticles was investigated by the deswelling behavior of particle-filled hydrogels. The addition of nanoparticles led to an increased rate of deswelling when the particle-filled hydrogel was heated beyond the lower critical solution temperature (32 degrees C). To interpret this observation, we have suggested that the polymer network has a significant increase in defects (e.g., dangling chain ends) in the vicinity of the nanoparticles. The apparent percolation threshold associated with the interaction of the nanoparticles was about 20 times smaller than the theoretical percolation threshold of spherical particles. As a consequence, we have determined the thickness of this defect zone to be about 85 nm. This is much larger than the size of the unperturbed linear pNIPAAm chains, suggesting that the polymers that play a role in the adsorption are not constrained segments of polymers bound between cross-link junctions but relatively free chains. This finding enabled us to emulate the adsorption behavior of pNIPAAm hydrogels on the particles by simply adding linear pNIPAAm chains to the particle suspensions. We then prepared silica and polystyrene suspensions with free pNIPAAm chains at a concentration much lower than the overlap concentration c*. A rheological study was conducted to determine the adsorption thickness of linear polymer chains on both silica and polystyrene nanoparticles. No significant adsorption was observed on silica, whereas the resultant thickness of the polymer was 8 nm on polystyrene.

Residue network in protein native structure belongs to the universality class of a three-dimensional critical percolation cluster

Single protein molecules are regarded as contact networks of amino-acid residues. Relationships between the shortest path lengths and the numbers of residues within single molecules in the native structures are examined for various sized proteins. A universal scaling among proteins is obtained, which shows that the residue networks are fractal networks. This universal fractal network is characterized with three kinds of dimensions: the network topological dimension D{c} approximately 1.9 , the fractal dimension D{f} approximately 2.5 , and the spectral dimension D{s} approximately 1.3 . These values are in surprisingly good coincidence with those of the three-dimensional critical percolation cluster. Hence the residue contact networks in the protein native structures belong to the universality class of the three-dimensional percolation cluster. The criticality is relevant to the ambivalence in the protein native structures, the coexistence of stability and instability, both of which are necessary for protein functions.

Pseudo-random-number generators and the square site percolation threshold

Selected pseudo-random-number generators are applied to a Monte Carlo study of the two-dimensional square-lattice site percolation model. A generator suitable for high precision calculations is identified from an application specific test of randomness. After extended computation and analysis, an ostensibly reliable value of p_{c}=0.59274598(4) is obtained for the percolation threshold.

Percolation transitions in two dimensions

We investigate bond- and site-percolation models on several two-dimensional lattices numerically, by means of transfer-matrix calculations and Monte Carlo simulations. The lattices include the square, triangular, honeycomb kagome, and diced lattices with nearest-neighbor bonds, and the square lattice with nearest- and next-nearest-neighbor bonds. Results are presented for the bond-percolation thresholds of the kagome and diced lattices, and the site-percolation thresholds of the square, honeycomb, and diced lattices. We also include the bond- and site-percolation thresholds for the square lattice with nearest- and next-nearest-neighbor bonds. We find that corrections to scaling behave according to the second temperature dimension X_{t2}=4 predicted by the Coulomb gas theory and the theory of conformal invariance. In several cases there is evidence for an additional term with the same exponent, but modified by a logarithmic factor. Only for the site-percolation problem on the triangular lattice does such a logarithmic term appear to be small or absent. The amplitude of the power-law correction associated with X_{t2}=4 is found to be dependent on the orientation of the lattice with respect to the cylindrical geometry of the finite systems.

Complementary algorithms for graphs and percolation

A pair of complementary algorithms are presented. One of the pair is a fast method for connecting graphs with an edge. The other is a fast method for removing edges from a graph. Both algorithms employ the same tree-based graph representation and so, in concert, can arbitrarily modify any graph. Since the clusters of a percolation model may be described as simple connected graphs, an efficient Monte Carlo scheme can be constructed which uses the algorithms to sweep the occupation probability back and forth between two turning points. This approach concentrates computational sampling time within a region of interest. A high-precision value of p(c) = 0.59274603(9) was thus obtained, by Mersenne twister, for the two-dimensional square site percolation threshold.

Critical speeding-up in the local dynamics of the random-cluster model

We study the dynamic critical behavior of the local bond-update (Sweeny) dynamics for the Fortuin-Kasteleyn random-cluster model in dimensions d=2, 3 by Monte Carlo simulation. We show that, for a suitable range of q values, the global observable S2 exhibits "critical speeding-up": it decorrelates well on time scales much less than one sweep. In some cases the dynamic critical exponent for the integrated autocorrelation time is negative. We also show that the dynamic critical exponent zexp is very close (possibly equal) to the rigorous lower bound alpha/nu and quite possibly smaller than the corresponding exponent for the Chayes-Machta-Swendsen-Wang cluster dynamics.

Ferromagnetic phase transition for the spanning-forest model (q-->0 limit of the Potts model) in three or more dimensions

We present Monte Carlo simulations of the spanning-forest model (q-->0 limit of the ferromagnetic Potts model) in spatial dimensions d=3, 4, 5. We show that, in contrast to the two-dimensional case, the model has a ferromagnetic second-order phase transition at a finite positive value w(c). We present numerical estimates of w(c) and of the thermal and magnetic critical exponents. We conjecture that the upper critical dimension is 6.

Percolation of particles on recursive lattices using a nanoscale approach. I. Theoretical foundation at the atomic level

Powdered materials of sizes ranging from nanometers to micrometers are widely used in materials science and are carefully selected to enhance the performance of a matrix. Fillers have been used in order to improve properties, such as mechanical, rheological, electrical, magnetic, thermal, etc., of the host material. Changes in the shape and size of the filler particles are known to affect and, in some cases, magnify such enhancement. This effect is usually associated with an increased probability of formation of a percolating cluster of filler particles in the matrix. In this series of papers, we will consider lattice models. Previous model calculations of percolation in polymeric systems generally did not take into account the possible difference between the size and shape of monomers and filler particles and usually neglected interactions or accounted for them in a crude fashion. In our approach, the original lattice is replaced by a recursive structure on which calculations are done exactly and interactions as well as size and shape disparities can be easily taken into account. Here, we introduce the recursive approach, describe how to derive the percolation threshold as a function of the various parameters of the problem, and apply the approach to the analysis of the effect of correlations among monodisperse particles on the percolation threshold of a system. In the second paper of the series, we tackle the issue of the effect of size and shape disparities of the particles on their percolation properties. In the last paper, we describe the effects due to the presence of a polymer matrix.

High-temperature series expansions for the q-state Potts model on a hypercubic lattice and critical properties of percolation

We present results for the high-temperature series expansions of the susceptibility and free energy of the q-state Potts model on a D-dimensional hypercubic lattice ZD for arbitrary values of q. The series are up to order 20 for dimension D<or=3, order 19 for D<or=5, and up to order 17 for arbitrary D. Using the q-->1 limit of these series, we estimate the percolation threshold pc and critical exponent gamma for bond percolation in different dimensions. We also extend the 1/D expansion of the critical coupling for arbitrary values of q up to order D-9.

Orientational order in high density dipolar hard sphere fluids

Taking advantage of recent estimates, by one of us, of the critical temperature of the isotropic-ferroelectric transition of high density dipolar hard spheres, we performed new Monte Carlo simulations in the close vicinity of these estimates and applied histogram reweighting methods to obtain refined values of the critical temperatures from the crossing of the fourth-order cumulant for different system sizes. The ferroelectric line is determined in the density range rho*=0.80-0.95, and the onset of columnar ordering is located.

Finite-size scaling of energylike quantities in percolation

We study the bond-percolation model in two and three dimensions by Monte Carlo simulation, and investigate the finite-size scaling behavior of several quantities that account for fluctuations of the total numbers of clusters and occupied bonds, Nc and Nb, respectively. These quantities include C(2c) = (<N(2)c> - <Nc>2)/Ld and C(cb) = (<NcNb> - <Nc><Nb>)/Ld, where L is the linear system size and d is the spatial dimensionality. In statistical models with thermal fluctuations, C(2c) and C(cb) are specific heatlike quantities. Despite the absence of thermal fluctuations in percolation, we find that the leading finite-size scaling of C(2c) and C(cb) is described by the thermal critical exponent y(t)-d. We also measure quantity kappa b = 2<NbS2> / <S2> - <NbS4> / <S4> - <Nb> and an analogous quantity kappa c for Nc, where S2 and S4 are quantities associated with the second and the fourth moments of cluster sizes, respectively. At criticality, we show that kappa b and kappa c diverge as L(y)t for L --> infinity. The analysis of the data of kappa b and kappa c yields y(t) = 1.145(2) for the three-dimensional percolation, in good agreement with existing results.