Dynamical Symmetry Breaking and Phase Transitions in Driven Diffusive Systems.
We study the probability distribution of a current flowing through a diffusive system connected to a pair of reservoirs at its two ends. Sufficient conditions for the occurrence of a host of possible phase transitions both in and out of equilibrium are derived. These transitions manifest themselves as singularities in the large deviation function, resulting in enhanced current fluctuations. Microscopic models which implement each of the scenarios are presented, with possible experimental realizations. Depending on the model, the singularity is associated either with a particle-hole symmetry breaking, which leads to a continuous transition, or in the absence of the symmetry with a first-order phase transition. An exact Landau theory which captures the different singular behaviors is derived.
Department of Physics, Technion, Haifa 32000, Israel.
Yongjoo
Y
Baek
Department of Physics, Technion, Haifa 32000, Israel.
Yariv
Y
Kafri
LIPhy, Université Grenoble Alpes and CNRS, F-38042 Grenoble, France.|Laboratoire Probabilités et Modèles Aléatoires, UMR7599 CNRS, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Université Pierre et Marie Curie and Université Paris Diderot, F-75013 Paris, France.
Vivien
V
Lecomte