Duke Physics Colloquium: Noise-Driven Dynamics in Far-From-Equilibrium Systems

"Noise-driven dynamics in far-from-equilibrium systems" - The dynamical behavior of many far-from-equilibrium systems is crucially impacted by the interplay of noise and deterministic degrees of freedom. Examples of noise-enabled dynamics occur throughout the natural sciences including biophysical systems (e.g., dynamics of beating flagella and tumor-induced blood vessel formation); climate models (e.g., for predicting extreme weather events such as El Nino); and purely physical systems (e.g., electronic transport systems and micromechanical oscillators). While the deterministic dynamics of such systems may be either approximately linear or highly nonlinear, the fluctuation behavior typically violates the property of detailed balance, a fundamental aspect of equilibrium statistical mechanics. In this talk, I will discuss my recent work on noise-induced transitions in electronic transport systems that are far from thermal equilibrium. Experimental studies focus on statistics and scaling behavior associated with switching transitions between distinct states of electrical current flow in bistable quantum tunneling structures such as semiconductor superlattices and tunnel diodes. Theoretical and modeling work focuses on the use of stochastic Hamiltonian methods to identify fluctuation loops that arise from violations of detailed balance in far-from-equilibrium systems. Faculty Host: Warren S. Warren. Refreshments will be served before the event in Physics Building room 128.