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Dynamic Avalanches: Rate-Controlled Switching and Race Conditions
Lishuai Jin1,2,3, Martin van Hecke1,2
1AMOLF, Science Park 104, 1098 XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Physical Review Letters
|December 5, 2025
Summary
Dynamic avalanches in complex materials arise from element flipping dynamics, not just static interactions. Researchers controlled these dynamics in metamaterials to direct material behavior and create sequential functionalities.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Materials Science
- Complex Systems
Background:
- Avalanches are complex phenomena involving cooperative rearrangements of local elements.
- Existing models often fail to capture the dynamic nature of these events.
- Hysteresis in local elements plays a key role in avalanche initiation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of flipping dynamics and race conditions in material avalanches.
- To demonstrate the realization and control of dynamic avalanches in metamaterials.
- To introduce dynamic design principles for materials with targeted functionalities.
Main Methods:
- Utilized metamaterials with precisely controlled element flipping times.
- Studied the cooperative flipping dynamics of hysteretic local elements.
- Analyzed the emergence of dynamic avalanches and race conditions.
Main Results:
- Dynamic avalanches, driven by flipping dynamics and race conditions, were observed.
- Static models were insufficient to capture the observed avalanche behavior.
- Metamaterials allowed for modification, promotion, and direction of avalanche behavior by controlling flipping times.
Conclusions:
- Internal dynamics are crucial for understanding complex material behavior.
- Dynamic design principles enable the creation of materials with tunable and sequential functionalities.
- This work opens new avenues for designing advanced materials based on dynamic avalanche control.
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