Nonperturbative renormalization group for the stationary Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation: scaling functions and amplitude ratios in 1+1, 2+1, and 3+1 dimensions

Unpredicted Scaling of the One-Dimensional Kardar-Parisi-Zhang Equation

The celebrated Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) equation describes the kinetic roughening of stochastically growing interfaces. In one dimension, the KPZ equation is exactly solvable and its statistical properties are known to an exquisite degree. Yet recent numerical simulations in the tensionless (or inviscid) limit of the KPZ equation [C. Cartes et al., The Galerkin-truncated Burgers equation: Crossover from inviscid-thermalized to Kardar-Parisi-Zhang scaling, Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A 380, 20210090 (2022).PTRMAD1364-503X10.1098/rsta.2021.0090; E. Rodríguez-Fernández et al., Anomalous ballistic scaling in the tensionless or inviscid Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation, Phys. Rev. E 106, 024802 (2022).PRESCM2470-004510.1103/PhysRevE.106.024802] unveiled a new scaling, with a critical dynamical exponent z=1 different from the KPZ one z=3/2. In this Letter, we show that this scaling is controlled by a fixed point which had been missed so far and which corresponds to an infinite nonlinear coupling. Using the functional renormalization group (FRG), we demonstrate the existence of this fixed point and show that it yields z=1. We calculate the correlation function and associated scaling function at this fixed point, providing both a numerical solution of the FRG equations within a reliable approximation, and an exact asymptotic form obtained in the limit of large wave numbers. Both scaling functions accurately match the one from the numerical simulations.

Divergent Stiffness of One-Dimensional Growing Interfaces

When a spatially localized stress is applied to a growing one-dimensional interface, the interface deforms. This deformation is described by the effective surface tension representing the stiffness of the interface. We present that the stiffness exhibits divergent behavior in the large system size limit for a growing interface with thermal noise, which has never been observed for equilibrium interfaces. Furthermore, by connecting the effective surface tension with a space-time correlation function, we elucidate the mechanism that anomalous dynamical fluctuations lead to divergent stiffness.

Stirred Kardar-Parisi-Zhang Equation with Quenched Random Noise: Emergence of Induced Nonlinearity

We study the stochastic Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation for kinetic roughening where the time-independent (columnar or spatially quenched) Gaussian random noise f(t,x) is specified by the pair correlation function ⟨f(t,x)f(t′,x′)⟩∝δ(d)(x−x′), d being the dimension of space. The field-theoretic renormalization group analysis shows that the effect of turbulent motion of the environment (modelled by the coupling with the velocity field described by the Kazantsev-Kraichnan statistical ensemble for an incompressible fluid) gives rise to a new nonlinear term, quadratic in the velocity field. It turns out that this “induced” nonlinearity strongly affects the scaling behaviour in several universality classes (types of long-time, large-scale asymptotic regimes) even when the turbulent advection appears irrelevant in itself. Practical calculation of the critical exponents (that determine the universality classes) is performed to the first order of the double expansion in ε=4−d and the velocity exponent ξ (one-loop approximation). As is the case with most “descendants” of the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang model, some relevant fixed points of the renormalization group equations lie in “forbidden zones”, i.e., in those corresponding to negative kinetic coefficients or complex couplings. This persistent phenomenon in stochastic non-equilibrium models requires careful and inventive physical interpretation.

Universality and crossover behavior of single-step growth models in 1+1 and 2+1 dimensions

We study the kinetic roughening of the single-step (SS) growth model with a tunable parameter p in 1+1 and 2+1 dimensions by performing extensive numerical simulations. We show that there exists a very slow crossover from an intermediate regime dominated by the Edwards-Wilkinson class to an asymptotic regime dominated by the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) class for any p<1/2. We also identify the crossover time, the nonlinear coupling constant, and some nonuniversal parameters in the KPZ equation as a function p. The effective nonuniversal parameters are continuously decreasing with p but not in a linear fashion. Our results provide complete and conclusive evidence that the SS model for p≠1/2 belongs to the KPZ universality class in 2+1 dimensions.

Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation with temporally correlated noise: A nonperturbative renormalization group approach

We investigate the universal behavior of the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) equation with temporally correlated noise. The presence of time correlations in the microscopic noise breaks the statistical tilt symmetry, or Galilean invariance, of the original KPZ equation with δ-correlated noise (denoted SR-KPZ). Thus, it is not clear whether the KPZ universality class is preserved in this case. Conflicting results exist in the literature, some advocating that it is destroyed even in the limit of infinitesimal temporal correlations, while others find that it persists up to a critical range of such correlations. Using nonperturbative and functional renormalization group techniques, we study the influence of two types of temporal correlators of the noise: a short-range one with a typical timescale τ, and a power-law one with a varying exponent θ. We show that for the short-range noise with any finite τ, the symmetries (the Galilean symmetry, and the time-reversal one in 1+1 dimension) are dynamically restored at large scales, such that the long-distance and long-time properties are governed by the SR-KPZ fixed point. In the presence of a power-law noise, we find that the SR-KPZ fixed point is still stable for θ below a critical value θ_{th}, in accordance with previous renormalization group results, while a long-range fixed point controls the critical scaling for θ>θ_{th}, and we evaluate the θ-dependent critical exponents at this long-range fixed point, in both 1+1 and 2+1 dimensions. While the results in 1+1 dimension can be compared with previous studies, no other prediction was available in 2+1 dimension. We finally report in 1+1 dimension the emergence of anomalous scaling in the long-range phase.

Nonuniversality in the erosion of tilted landscapes

The anisotropic model for landscapes erosion proposed by Pastor-Satorras and Rothman [R. Pastor-Satorras and D. H. Rothman, Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 4349 (1998)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.80.4349] is believed to capture the physics of erosion at intermediate length scale (≲3 km), and to account for the large value of the roughness exponent α observed in real data at this scale. Our study of this model-conducted using the nonperturbative renormalization group-concludes on the nonuniversality of this exponent because of the existence of a line of fixed points. Thus the roughness exponent depends (weakly) on the details of the soil and the erosion mechanisms. We conjecture that this feature, while preserving the generic scaling observed in real data, could explain the wide spectrum of values of α measured for natural landscapes.

Initial pseudo-steady state & asymptotic KPZ universality in semiconductor on polymer deposition

The Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) class is a paradigmatic example of universality in nonequilibrium phenomena, but clear experimental evidences of asymptotic 2D-KPZ statistics are still very rare, and far less understanding stems from its short-time behavior. We tackle such issues by analyzing surface fluctuations of CdTe films deposited on polymeric substrates, based on a huge spatio-temporal surface sampling acquired through atomic force microscopy. A pseudo-steady state (where average surface roughness and spatial correlations stay constant in time) is observed at initial times, persisting up to deposition of ~10⁴ monolayers. This state results from a fine balance between roughening and smoothening, as supported by a phenomenological growth model. KPZ statistics arises at long times, thoroughly verified by universal exponents, spatial covariance and several distributions. Recent theoretical generalizations of the Family-Vicsek scaling and the emergence of log-normal distributions during interface growth are experimentally confirmed. These results confirm that high vacuum vapor deposition of CdTe constitutes a genuine 2D-KPZ system, and expand our knowledge about possible substrate-induced short-time behaviors.

Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation with short-range correlated noise: Emergent symmetries and nonuniversal observables

We investigate the stationary-state fluctuations of a growing one-dimensional interface described by the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) dynamics with a noise featuring smooth spatial correlations of characteristic range ξ. We employ nonperturbative functional renormalization group methods to resolve the properties of the system at all scales. We show that the physics of the standard (uncorrelated) KPZ equation emerges on large scales independently of ξ. Moreover, the renormalization group flow is followed from the initial condition to the fixed point, that is, from the microscopic dynamics to the large-distance properties. This provides access to the small-scale features (and their dependence on the details of the noise correlations) as well as to the universal large-scale physics. In particular, we compute the kinetic energy spectrum of the stationary state as well as its nonuniversal amplitude. The latter is experimentally accessible by measurements at large scales and retains a signature of the microscopic noise correlations. Our results are compared to previous analytical and numerical results from independent approaches. They are in agreement with direct numerical simulations for the kinetic energy spectrum as well as with the prediction, obtained with the replica trick by Gaussian variational method, of a crossover in ξ of the nonuniversal amplitude of this spectrum.

Spatiotemporal velocity-velocity correlation function in fully developed turbulence

Turbulence is a ubiquitous phenomenon in natural and industrial flows. Since the celebrated work of Kolmogorov in 1941, understanding the statistical properties of fully developed turbulence has remained a major quest. In particular, deriving the properties of turbulent flows from a mesoscopic description, that is, from the Navier-Stokes equation, has eluded most theoretical attempts. Here, we provide a theoretical prediction for the functional space and time dependence of the velocity-velocity correlation function of homogeneous and isotropic turbulence from the field theory associated to the Navier-Stokes equation with stochastic forcing. This prediction, which goes beyond Kolmogorov theory, is the analytical fixed point solution of nonperturbative renormalization group flow equations, which are exact in the limit of large wave numbers. This solution is compared to two-point two-times correlation functions computed in direct numerical simulations. We obtain a remarkable agreement both in the inertial and in the dissipative ranges.

Universality of (2+1)-dimensional restricted solid-on-solid models

Extensive dynamical simulations of restricted solid-on-solid models in D=2+1 dimensions have been done using parallel multisurface algorithms implemented on graphics cards. Numerical evidence is presented that these models exhibit Kardar-Parisi-Zhang surface growth scaling, irrespective of the step heights N. We show that by increasing N the corrections to scaling increase, thus smaller step-sized models describe better the asymptotic, long-wave-scaling behavior.

Keldysh field theory for driven open quantum systems

Recent experimental developments in diverse areas-ranging from cold atomic gases to light-driven semiconductors to microcavity arrays-move systems into the focus which are located on the interface of quantum optics, many-body physics and statistical mechanics. They share in common that coherent and driven-dissipative quantum dynamics occur on an equal footing, creating genuine non-equilibrium scenarios without immediate counterpart in equilibrium condensed matter physics. This concerns both their non-thermal stationary states and their many-body time evolution. It is a challenge to theory to identify novel instances of universal emergent macroscopic phenomena, which are tied unambiguously and in an observable way to the microscopic drive conditions. In this review, we discuss some recent results in this direction. Moreover, we provide a systematic introduction to the open system Keldysh functional integral approach, which is the proper technical tool to accomplish a merger of quantum optics and many-body physics, and leverages the power of modern quantum field theory to driven open quantum systems.

Fully developed isotropic turbulence: Nonperturbative renormalization group formalism and fixed-point solution

We investigate the regime of fully developed homogeneous and isotropic turbulence of the Navier-Stokes (NS) equation in the presence of a stochastic forcing, using the nonperturbative (functional) renormalization group (NPRG). Within a simple approximation based on symmetries, we obtain the fixed-point solution of the NPRG flow equations that corresponds to fully developed turbulence both in d=2 and 3 dimensions. Deviations to the dimensional scalings (Kolmogorov in d=3 or Kraichnan-Batchelor in d=2) are found for the two-point functions. To further analyze these deviations, we derive exact flow equations in the large wave-number limit, and show that the fixed point does not entail the usual scale invariance, thereby identifying the mechanism for the emergence of intermittency within the NPRG framework. The purpose of this work is to provide a detailed basis for NPRG studies of NS turbulence; the determination of the ensuing intermittency exponents is left for future work.

Thermodynamics of the two-dimensional XY model from functional renormalization

We solve the nonperturbative renormalization-group flow equations for the two-dimensional XY model at the truncation level of the (complete) second-order derivative expansion. We compute the thermodynamic properties in the high-temperature phase and compare the nonuniversal features specific to the XY model with results from Monte Carlo simulations. In particular, we study the position and magnitude of the specific-heat peak as a function of temperature. The obtained results compare well with Monte Carlo simulations. We additionally gauge the accuracy of simplified nonperturbative renormalization-group treatments relying on ϕ^{4}-type truncations. Our computation indicates that such an approximation is insufficient in the high-T phase and a correct analysis of the specific-heat profile requires account of an infinite number of interaction vertices.

Scaling, cumulant ratios, and height distribution of ballistic deposition in 3+1 and 4+1 dimensions

We investigate the origin of the scaling corrections in ballistic deposition models in high dimensions using the method proposed by Alves et al. [Phys. Rev. E 90, 052405 (2014)PLEEE81539-375510.1103/PhysRevE.90.052405] in d=2+1 dimensions, where the intrinsic width associated with the fluctuations of the height increments during the deposition processes is explicitly taken into account. In the present work, we show that this concept holds for d=3+1 and 4+1 dimensions. We have found that growth and roughness exponents and dimensionless cumulant ratios are in agreement with other models, presenting small finite-time corrections to the scaling, that in principle belong to the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) universality class in both d=3+1 and 4+1. Our results constitute further evidence that the upper critical dimension of the KPZ class, if it exists, is larger than 4.

Fibonacci family of dynamical universality classes

Universality is a well-established central concept of equilibrium physics. However, in systems far away from equilibrium, a deeper understanding of its underlying principles is still lacking. Up to now, a few classes have been identified. Besides the diffusive universality class with dynamical exponent [Formula: see text], another prominent example is the superdiffusive Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) class with [Formula: see text]. It appears, e.g., in low-dimensional dynamical phenomena far from thermal equilibrium that exhibit some conservation law. Here we show that both classes are only part of an infinite discrete family of nonequilibrium universality classes. Remarkably, their dynamical exponents [Formula: see text] are given by ratios of neighboring Fibonacci numbers, starting with either [Formula: see text] (if a KPZ mode exist) or [Formula: see text] (if a diffusive mode is present). If neither a diffusive nor a KPZ mode is present, all dynamical modes have the Golden Mean [Formula: see text] as dynamical exponent. The universal scaling functions of these Fibonacci modes are asymmetric Lévy distributions that are completely fixed by the macroscopic current density relation and compressibility matrix of the system and hence accessible to experimental measurement.

Ground-state statistics of directed polymers with heavy-tailed disorder

In this mostly numerical study, we reconsider the statistical properties of the ground state of a directed polymer in a d=1+1 "hilly" disorder landscape, i.e., when the quenched disorder has power-law tails. When disorder is Gaussian, the polymer minimizes its total energy through a collective optimization, where the energy of each visited site only weakly contributes to the total. Conversely, a hilly landscape forces the polymer to distort and explore a larger portion of space to reach some particularly deep energy sites. As soon as the fifth moment of the disorder diverges, this mechanism radically changes the standard Kardar-Parisi-Zhang scaling behavior of the directed polymer, and new exponents prevail. After confirming again that the Flory argument accurately predicts these exponents in the tail-dominated phase, we investigate several other statistical features of the ground state that shed light on this unusual transition and on the accuracy of the Flory argument. We underline the theoretical challenge posed by this situation, which paradoxically becomes even more acute above the upper critical dimension.

Dynamic criticality far from equilibrium: One-loop flow of Burgers-Kardar-Parisi-Zhang systems with broken Galilean invariance

Burgers-Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) scaling has recently (re-) surfaced in a variety of physical contexts, ranging from anharmonic chains to quantum systems such as open superfluids, in which a variety of random forces may be encountered and/or engineered. Motivated by these developments, we here provide a generalization of the KPZ universality class to situations with long-ranged temporal correlations in the noise, which purposefully break the Galilean invariance that is central to the conventional KPZ solution. We compute the phase diagram and critical exponents of the KPZ equation with 1/f noise (KPZ1/f) in spatial dimensions 1≤d<4 using the dynamic renormalization group with a frequency cutoff technique in a one-loop truncation. Distinct features of KPZ1/f are (i) a generically scale-invariant, rough phase at high noise levels that violates fluctuation-dissipation relations and exhibits hyperthermal statistics even in d=1, (ii) a fine-tuned roughening transition at which the flow fulfills an emergent thermal-like fluctuation-dissipation relation, that separates the rough phase from (iii) a massive phase in 1<d<4 (in d=1 the interface is always rough). We point out potential connections to nonlinear hydrodynamics with a reduced set of conservation laws and noisy quantum liquids.

Skewness in (1+1)-dimensional Kardar-Parisi-Zhang-type growth

We use the (1+1)-dimensional Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation driven by a Gaussian white noise and employ the dynamic renormalization-group of Yakhot and Orszag without rescaling [J. Sci. Comput. 1, 3 (1986)]. Hence we calculate the second- and third-order moments of height distribution using the diagrammatic method in the large-scale and long-time limits. The moments so calculated lead to the value S=0.3237 for the skewness. This value is comparable with numerical and experimental estimates.

Strong-coupling phases of the anisotropic Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation

We study the anisotropic Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation using nonperturbative renormalization group methods. In contrast to a previous analysis in the weak-coupling regime, we find the strong-coupling fixed point corresponding to the isotropic rough phase to be always locally stable and unaffected by the anisotropy even at noninteger dimensions. Apart from the well-known weak-coupling and the now well-established isotropic strong-coupling behavior, we find an anisotropic strong-coupling fixed point for nonlinear couplings of opposite signs at noninteger dimensions.

Universality of fluctuations in the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang class in high dimensions and its upper critical dimension

We show that the theoretical machinery developed for the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) class in low dimensions is obeyed by the restricted solid-on-solid model for substrates with dimensions up to d=6. Analyzing different restriction conditions, we show that the height distributions of the interface are universal for all investigated dimensions. It means that fluctuations are not negligible and, consequently, the system is still below the upper critical dimension at d=6. The extrapolation of the data to dimensions d≥7 predicts that the upper critical dimension of the KPZ class is infinite.

Aging of the (2+1)-dimensional Kardar-Parisi-Zhang model

Extended dynamical simulations have been performed on a (2+1)-dimensional driven dimer lattice-gas model to estimate aging properties. The autocorrelation and the autoresponse functions are determined and the corresponding scaling exponents are tabulated. Since this model can be mapped onto the (2+1)-dimensional Kardar-Parisi-Zhang surface growth model, our results contribute to the understanding of the universality class of that basic system.

Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation with spatially correlated noise: a unified picture from nonperturbative renormalization group

We investigate the scaling regimes of the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) equation in the presence of spatially correlated noise with power-law decay D(p) ∼ p(-2ρ) in Fourier space, using a nonperturbative renormalization group approach. We determine the full phase diagram of the system as a function of ρ and the dimension d. In addition to the weak-coupling part of the diagram, which agrees with the results from Europhys. Lett. 47, 14 (1999) and Eur. Phys. J. B 9, 491 (1999), we find the two fixed points describing the short-range- (SR) and long-range- (LR) dominated strong-coupling phases. In contrast with a suggestion in the references cited above, we show that, for all values of ρ, there exists a unique strong-coupling SR fixed point that can be continuously followed as a function of d. We show in particular that the existence and the behavior of the LR fixed point do not provide any hint for 4 being the upper critical dimension of the KPZ equation with SR noise.

Extremal paths, the stochastic heat equation, and the three-dimensional Kardar-Parisi-Zhang universality class

Following our numerical work [Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 170602 (2012)] focused upon the 2+1 Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) equation with flat initial condition, we return here to study, in depth, the three-dimensional (3D) radial KPZ problem, comparing common scaling phenomena exhibited by the pt-pt directed polymer in a random medium (DPRM), the stochastic heat equation (SHE) with multiplicative noise in three dimensions, and kinetic roughening phenomena associated with 3D Eden clusters. Examining variants of the 3D DPRM, as well as numerically integrating, via the Itô prescription, the constrained SHE for different values of the KPZ coupling, we provide strong evidence for universality within this 3D KPZ class, revealing shared values for the limit distribution skewness and kurtosis, along with universal first and second moments. Our numerical analysis of the 3D SHE, well flanked by the DPRM results, appears without precedent in the literature. We consider, too, the 2+1 KPZ equation in the deeply evolved kinetically roughened stationary state, extracting the essential limit distribution characterizing fluctuations therein, revealing a higher-dimensional relative of the 1+1 KPZ Baik-Rains distribution. Complementary, corroborative findings are provided via the Gaussian DPRM, as well as the restricted-solid-on-solid model of stochastic growth, stalwart members of the 2+1 KPZ class. Next, contact is made with a recent nonperturbative, field-theoretic renormalization group calculation for the key universal amplitude ratio in this context. Finally, in the crossover from transient to stationary-state statistics, we observe a higher dimensional manifestation of the skewness minimum discovered by Takeuchi [Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 210604 (2013)] in 1+1 KPZ class liquid-crystal experiments.