Return to search

Systems Driven out of Equilibrium with Energy Input at Interfaces or Boundaries

We study the non-equilibrium behavior of systems that are driven out of equilibrium from the interface. In the first part of this thesis, we study a model of a two-dimensional lattice gas that is in contact with two heat baths that are at different temperatures. Performing Monte Carlo simulations, we find that there are three possible types of non-equilibrium steady states, depending on the values of certain system parameters. They include a disordered phase, a fully phase separated state, and an interesting state with striped patterns in the half of the lattice where the temperature is lower. The last one is a novel non-equilibrium steady state that we study systematically by varying the system parameters. To obtain the non-equilibrium finite-size phase diagram, we perform a spectrum analysis to classify not only the three major states, but also the sub-states of the striped phase. In the second part of the thesis, we study magnetic friction that results when two Potts systems move with respect to each other. In this research, we first study a model that consists of two interacting Potts blocks, where one block moves on top of the other. As a result, the system is driven out of equilibrium constantly. In our research we find for weak interfacial couplings that the contacting surfaces behave rather similar to a free surface. If the interfacial coupling is strong, however, anisotropic spin patterns appear on the contacting surfaces. This study is extended to a three-dimensional Potts wedge with a tip sliding along the surface of a Potts block. It is found that the shape of the Potts lattice influences the surface behavior of the system. / Ph. D.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/77884
Date10 December 2015
CreatorsLi, Linjun
ContributorsPhysics, Pleimling, Michel J., Heremans, Jean J., Tauber, Uwe C., Tao, Chenggang
PublisherVirginia Tech
Source SetsVirginia Tech Theses and Dissertation
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeDissertation
FormatETD, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf, application/pdf
RightsIn Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Page generated in 0.0019 seconds