From bulk to microphase separation in scalar active matter: a perturbative renormalization group analysis

DOI10.1088/1742-5468/AAF321MaRDI QIDQ3303263zbMATH OpenOpenAlexWikidataFDO

Authors Fernando Caballero, Cesare Nardini, M. E. Cates

Publication date 11 August 2020

Published in Journal of Statistical Mechanics: Theory and Experiment (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1809.10433

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Renormalization group methods in equilibrium statistical mechanics (82B28)

Abstract: We consider a dynamical field theory (Active Model B+) that minimally extends the equilibrium Model B for diffusive phase separation of a scalar field, by adding leading-order terms that break time-reversal symmetry. It was recently shown that such active terms can cause the bulk phase separation of Model B to be replaced by a steady state of microphase separation at a finite length scale. This phenomenon was understood at mean-field level as due to the activity-induced reversal of the Ostwald ripening mechanism, which provides the kinetic pathway to bulk phase separation in passive fluids. This reversal occurs only in certain ranges for the activity parameters. In this paper we go beyond such a mean-field analysis and develop a $1$-loop Renormalisation Group (RG) approach. We first show that, in the parameter range where bulk phase separation is still present, the critical point belongs formally to the same (Wilson-Fisher) universality class as the passive Model B. In contrast, in a parameter range associated with microphase separation, we find that an unstable non-equilibrium fixed point of the RG flow arises for $dgeq2$, colliding with the Wilson-Fisher point in $do{2}^{+}$ and making it unstable in $d=2$. At large activity, the flow in this region is towards strong coupling. We argue that the phase transition to microphase separation in active systems, in the physically relevant dimensions $d=2$ and $3$, very probably belongs to a new non-equilibrium universality class. Because it is governed by the strong-coupling regime of the RG flow, our perturbative analysis leaves open the quantitative characterization of this new class.

Recommendations

• Renormalization group in the problem of active scalar advection
• Non-equilibrium phase separation with reactions: a canonical model and its behaviour
• Phase separation in systems of interacting active Brownian particles
• Polar active liquids: a universal classification rooted in nonconservation of momentum
• Minimal continuum theories of structure formation in dense active fluids

Cites work

• Active matter
• An introduction to the nonperturbative renormalization group
• Non-perturbative renormalization flow in quantum field theory and statistical physics
• Phase Transition Dynamics
• Theories of binary fluid mixtures: from phase-separation kinetics to active emulsions

Cited in

(8)

• Scaling properties of nonequilibrium states of active soft matter
• Active to absorbing state phase transition in the presence of a fluctuating environment: feedback and universality
• Effective equilibrium states in the colored-noise model for active matter II. A unified framework for phase equilibria, structure and mechanical properties
• Non-equilibrium phase separation with reactions: a canonical model and its behaviour
• Exact fluctuating hydrodynamics of active lattice gases—typical fluctuations
• Field theory of active chiral hard disks: a first-principles approach to steric interactions
• Hydrodynamic equations and near critical large deviations of active lattice gases
• Universality classes with strong coupling in conserved surface roughening: explicit vs emergent symmetries

This page was built for publication: From bulk to microphase separation in scalar active matter: a perturbative renormalization group analysis

Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q3303263)