Professor Royce K. P. Zia , Physics Department and Center for Stochastic Processes in Science and Engineering, Virginia Poltechnic Institute and State University
4 PM, Thursday, March 7, 1996
Room 101, Olin Physical Laboratory
Motivated by several physical systems, models of driven lattice gases with two species of particles are considered. We study a system with NON-interacting (apart from an excluded volume constraint) particles driven in opposite directions. As the overall particle density is varied, a transition occurs, from a disordered phase with high particle current, to ordered, locked phases with minimal current. Further, there are several lock states, with the frequency of their occurence depending on the aspect ratio of the system. Using a simple continuum theory, we are able to describe much of the novel transitions. Variations and generalization, as well as the physical systems they model, will be discussed.