Mode-locking of incommensurate phase by quantum zero point energy in the Frenkel-Kontorova model

Abstract

In this paper, it is shown that a configuration modulated system described by the Frenkel-Kontorova model can be locked at an incommensurate phase when the quantum zero point energy is taken into account. It is also found that the specific heat for an incommensurate phase shows different parameter-dependence in sliding phase and pinning phase. These findings provide a possible way for experimentalists to verify the phase transition by breaking of analyticity.

6 pages in Europhys style, 3 eps figures

References in corpus (1)

• Quantum Frenkel-Kontorova Model

Cited by in corpus (5)

• Devil's Staircases and Continued Fractions in the Josephson Junctions
• Mode entanglement of electrons in the one-dimensional Frenkel-Kontorova model
• Quantum phase transition in the Frenkel-Kontorova chain: from pinned instanton glass to sliding phonon gas
• Electronic properties of the 1D Frenkel-Kontorova model
• A density-matrix renormalization group Study of one-dimensional incommensurate quantum Frenkel-Kontorova model