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Critical disorder and phase transitions in random diode arrays
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606, USA. vkarpov@physics.utoledo.edu
Physical Review Letters
|December 20, 2003
Summary
Random diode arrays exhibit a phase transition in their electric potential when disorder strength increases. This leads to a shift from uniform to nonuniform potential, with a predicted piecewise continuous topography.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Materials Science
- Electrical Engineering
Background:
- Random diode arrays are a novel class of nonlinear disordered systems.
- These systems are relevant to thin-film semiconductor physics.
- Understanding their behavior is crucial for advanced electronic applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the phase transition in random diode arrays.
- To analyze the behavior of electric potential under varying disorder strengths.
- To predict the topography of the random electric potential.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical analysis of nonlinear disordered systems.
- Modeling of random diode arrays.
- Phase transition analysis.
Main Results:
- A critical disorder strength was identified for a phase transition.
- The system transitions from a uniform to a strongly nonuniform random electric potential.
- A piecewise continuous topography of the random potential is predicted.
Conclusions:
- Random diode arrays undergo a significant phase transition.
- Disorder strength critically influences the electric potential distribution.
- The predicted potential topography offers insights into semiconductor device physics.