Creep motion of an elastic string in a random potential

We study the creep motion of an elastic string in a two dimensional pinning landscape by Langevin dynamics simulations. We find that the Velocity-Force characteristics are well described by the creep formula predicted from phenomenological scaling arguments. We analyze the creep exponent $\mu$, and the roughness exponent $\zeta$. Two regimes are identified: when the temperature is larger than the strength of the disorder we find $\mu \approx 1/4$ and $\zeta \approx 2/3$, in agreement with the quasi-equilibrium-nucleation picture of creep motion; on the contrary, lowering enough the temperature, the values of $\mu$ and $\zeta$ increase showing a strong violation of the latter picture.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Standing waves of the complex Ginzburg-Landau equation

We prove the existence of nontrivial standing wave solutions of the complex Ginzburg-Landau equation $\phi_t = e^{i\theta} \Delta \phi + e^{i\gamma} |\phi |^\alpha \phi$ with periodic boundary conditions. Our result includes all values of $\theta$ and $\gamma$ for which $\cos \theta \cos \gamma >0$, but requires that $\alpha >0$ be sufficiently small

Non-equilibrium relaxation of an elastic string in random media

We study the relaxation of an elastic string in a two dimensional pinning landscape using Langevin dynamics simulations. The relaxation of a line, initially flat, is characterized by a growing length, $L(t)$, separating the equilibrated short length scales from the flat long distance geometry that keep memory of the initial condition. We find that, in the long time limit, $L(t)$ has a non--algebraic growth, consistent with thermally activated jumps over barriers with power law scaling, $U(L) \sim L^\theta$.Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure, Proceedings of ECRYS-2005 International Workshop on Electronic Crysta

Sign-changing self-similar solutions of the nonlinear heat equation with positive initial value

We consider the nonlinear heat equation $u_t - \Delta u = |u|^\alpha u$ on ${\mathbb R}^N$, where $\alpha >0$ and $N\ge 1$. We prove that in the range $0 0$, there exist infinitely many sign-changing, self-similar solutions to the Cauchy problem with initial value $u_0 (x)= \mu |x|^{-\frac {2} {\alpha }}$. The construction is based on the analysis of the related inverted profile equation. In particular, we construct (sign-changing) self-similar solutions for positive initial values for which it is known that there does not exist any local, nonnegative solution

A Fujita-type blowup result and low energy scattering for a nonlinear Schr\"o\-din\-ger equation

In this paper we consider the nonlinear Schr\"o\-din\-ger equation $i u_t +\Delta u +\kappa |u|^\alpha u=0$. We prove that if $\alpha <\frac {2} {N}$ and $\Im \kappa <0$, then every nontrivial $H^1$-solution blows up in finite or infinite time. In the case $\alpha >\frac {2} {N}$ and $\kappa \in {\mathbb C}$, we improve the existing low energy scattering results in dimensions $N\ge 7$. More precisely, we prove that if $\frac {8} {N + \sqrt{ N^2 +16N }} < \alpha \le \frac {4} {N}$, then small data give rise to global, scattering solutions in $H^1$

Identifying Prognostic Indicators for Electrical Treeing in Solid Insulation through PD Analysis

This paper presents early results from an experimental study of electrical treeing on commercially available pre-formed silicone samples. A needle-plane test arrangement was set up using hypodermic needles. Partial discharge (PD) data was captured using both the IEC 60270 electrical method and radio frequency (RF) sensors, and visual observations are made using a digital microscope. Features of the PD plot that corresponded to electrical tree growth were assessed, evaluating the similarities and differences of both PD measurement techniques. Three univariate phase distributions were extracted from the partial discharge phase-resolved (PRPD) plot and the first four statistical moments were determined. The implications for automated lifetime prediction of insulation samples due to electrical tree development are discussed

Measurement of thermal conductance of silicon nanowires at low temperature

We have performed thermal conductance measurements on individual single crystalline silicon suspended nanowires. The nanowires (130 nm thick and 200 nm wide) are fabricated by e-beam lithography and suspended between two separated pads on Silicon On Insulator (SOI) substrate. We measure the thermal conductance of the phonon wave guide by the 3&#61559; method. The cross-section of the nanowire approaches the dominant phonon wavelength in silicon which is of the order of 100 nm at 1K. Above 1.3K the conductance behaves as T3, but a deviation is measured at the lowest temperature which can be attributed to the reduced geometry

Short time relaxation of a driven elastic string in a random medium

We study numerically the relaxation of a driven elastic string in a two dimensional pinning landscape. The relaxation of the string, initially flat, is governed by a growing length $L(t)$ separating the short steady-state equilibrated lengthscales, from the large lengthscales that keep memory of the initial condition. We find a macroscopic short time regime where relaxation is universal, both above and below the depinning threshold, different from the one expected for standard critical phenomena. Below the threshold, the zero temperature relaxation towards the first pinned configuration provides a novel, experimentally convenient way to access all the critical exponents of the depinning transition independently.Comment: 4.2 pages, 3 figure