Multifunctional twisted kagome lattices: Tuning by pruning mechanical metamaterials.

This article investigates phonons and elastic response in randomly diluted lattices constructed by combining (via the addition of next-nearest bonds) a twisted kagome lattice, with bulk modulus B=0 and shear modulus G>0, with either a generalized untwisted kagome lattice with B>0 and G>0 or with a honeycomb lattice with B>0 and G=0. These lattices exhibit jamming-like critical endpoints at which B, G, or both B and G jump discontinuously from zero while the remaining moduli (if any) begin to grow continuously from zero. Pairs of these jamming points are joined by lines of continuous rigidity percolation transitions at which both B and G begin to grow continuously from zero. The Poisson ratio and G/B can be continuously tuned throughout their physical range via random dilution in a manner analogous to "tuning by pruning" in random jammed lattices. These lattices can be produced with modern techniques, such as three-dimensional printing, for constructing metamaterials.

Elasticity of randomly diluted honeycomb and diamond lattices with bending forces.

We use numerical simulations and an effective-medium theory to study the rigidity percolation transition of the honeycomb and diamond lattices when weak bond-bending forces are included. We use a rotationally invariant bond-bending potential, which, in contrast to the Keating potential, does not involve any stretching. As a result, the bulk modulus does not depend on the bending stiffness κ. We obtain scaling functions for the behavior of some elastic moduli in the limits of small ΔP = 1-P, and small δP = P-Pc, where P is an occupation probability of each bond, and Pc is the critical probability at which rigidity percolation occurs. We find good quantitative agreement between effective-medium theory and simulations for both lattices for P close to one.

Commentary on "Mechanical properties of monodomain side chain nematic elastomers" by P. Martinoty et al.

We discuss the rheology experiments on nematic elastomers by Martinoty et al. in the light of theoretical models for the long-wavelength low-frequency dynamics of these materials. We review these theories and discuss how they can be modified to provide a phenomenological description of the non-hydrodynamic frequency regime probed in the experiments. Moreover, we review the concepts of soft and semi-soft elasticity and comment on their implications for the experiments.

Conductivity of continuum percolating systems.

We study the conductivity of a class of disordered continuum systems represented by the Swiss-cheese model, where the conducting medium is the space between randomly placed spherical holes, near the percolation threshold. This model can be mapped onto a bond percolation model where the conductance sigma of randomly occupied bonds is drawn from a probability distribution of the form sigma(-a). Employing the methods of renormalized field theory we show to arbitrary order in epsilon expansion that the critical conductivity exponent of the Swiss-cheese model is given by t(SC)(a) = (d-2)nu + max[phi,(1-a)(-1)], where d is the spatial dimension and nu and phi denote the critical exponents for the percolation correlation length and resistance, respectively. Our result confirms a conjecture that is based on the "nodes, links, and blobs" picture of percolation clusters.

Relevance of percolation theory to the vulcanization transition.

The relationship between vulcanization and percolation is explored from the perspective of renormalized local field theory. We show to arbitrary order in perturbation theory that the vulcanization and percolation correlation functions are governed by the same Gell-Mann-Low renormalization-group equation. Hence, all scaling aspects of the vulcanization transition are reigned by the critical exponents of the percolation universality class.

Nonlinear random resistor diode networks and fractal dimensions of directed percolation clusters.

We study nonlinear random resistor diode networks at the transition from the nonpercolating to the directed percolating phase. The resistor-like bonds and the diode-like bonds under forward bias voltage obey a generalized Ohm's law V approximately I(r). Based on general grounds such as symmetries and relevance we develop a field theoretic model. We focus on the average two-port resistance, which is governed at the transition by the resistance exponent straight phi(r). By employing renormalization group methods we calculate straight phi(r) for arbitrary r to one-loop order. Then we address the fractal dimensions characterizing directed percolation clusters. Via considering distinct values of the nonlinearity r, we determine the dimension of the red bonds, the chemical path, and the backbone to two-loop order.

Effects of surfaces on resistor percolation.

We study the effects of surfaces on resistor percolation at the instance of a semi-infinite geometry. Particularly we are interested in the average resistance between two connected ports located on the surface. Based on general grounds as symmetries and relevance we introduce a field theoretic Hamiltonian for semi-infinite random resistor networks. We show that the surface contributes to the average resistance only in terms of corrections to scaling. These corrections are governed by surface resistance exponents. We carry out renormalization-group improved perturbation calculations for the special and the ordinary transition. We calculate the surface resistance exponents phiS and phiS(infinity) for the special and the ordinary transition, respectively, to one-loop order.

Transport on directed percolation clusters.

We study random lattice networks consisting of resistorlike and diodelike bonds. For investigating the transport properties of these random resistor diode networks we introduce a field-theoretic Hamiltonian amenable to renormalization group analysis. We focus on the average two-port resistance at the transition from the nonpercolating to the directed percolating phase and calculate the corresponding resistance exponent straight phi to two-loop order. Moreover, we determine the backbone dimension D(B) of directed percolation clusters to two-loop order. We obtain a scaling relation for D(B) that is in agreement with well known scaling arguments.

Noisy random resistor networks: renormalized field theory for the multifractal moments of the current distribution.

We study the multifractal moments of the current distribution in randomly diluted resistor networks near the percolation threshold. When an external current is applied between two terminals x and x(') of the network, the lth multifractal moment scales as M((l))(I)(x,x(')) approximately equal /x-x'/(psi(l)/nu), where nu is the correlation length exponent of the isotropic percolation universality class. By applying our concept of master operators [Europhys. Lett. 51, 539 (2000)] we calculate the family of multifractal exponents [psi(l)] for l>or=0 to two-loop order. We find that our result is in good agreement with numerical data for three dimensions.

Random resistor-diode networks and the crossover from isotropic to directed percolation

By employing the methods of renormalized field theory, we show that the percolation behavior of random resistor-diode networks near the multicritical line belongs to the universality class of isotropic percolation. We construct a mesoscopic model from the general epidemic process by including a relevant isotropy-breaking perturbation. We present a two-loop calculation of the crossover exponent straight phi. Upon blending the varepsilon-expansion result with the exact value straight phi=1 for one dimension by a rational approximation, we obtain straight phi=1.29+/-0.05 for two dimensions. This value is in agreement with the recent simulations of a two-dimensional random diode network by Inui, et al. [Phys. Rev. E 59, 6513 (1999)], who found an order parameter exponent beta different from those of isotropic and directed percolation. Furthermore, we reconsider the theory of the full crossover from isotropic to directed percolation by Frey, Tauber, and Schwabl [Europhys. Lett. 26, 413 (1994); Phys. Rev. E 49, 5058 (1994)], and clear up some minor shortcomings.

Diluted networks of nonlinear resistors and fractal dimensions of percolation clusters.

We study random networks of nonlinear resistors, which obey a generalized Ohm's law V approximately Ir. Our renormalized field theory, which thrives on an interpretation of the involved Feynman diagrams as being resistor networks themselves, is presented in detail. By considering distinct values of the nonlinearity r, we calculate several fractal dimensions characterizing percolation clusters. For the dimension associated with the red bonds we show that dred = 1/nu at least to order O(epsilon 4), with nu being the correlation length exponent, and epsilon = 6 - d, where d denotes the spatial dimension. This result agrees with a rigorous one by Coniglio. Our result for the chemical distance, dmin = 2 - epsilon/6 - [937/588 + 45/49(ln 2 - 9/10 ln 3)](epsilon/6)2 + O(epsilon 3) verifies a previous calculation by one of us. For the backbone dimension we find DB = 2 + epsilon/21 - 172 epsilon 2/9261 + 2[-74639 + 22680 zeta(3)]epsilon 3/4084101 + O(epsilon 4), where zeta(3) = 1.202057..., in agreement to second order in epsilon with a two-loop calculation by Harris and Lubensky.

Critical exponents for diluted resistor networks.

An approach by Stephen [Phys. Rev. B 17, 4444 (1978)] is used to investigate the critical properties of randomly diluted resistor networks near the percolation threshold by means of renormalized field theory. We reformulate an existing field theory by Harris and Lubensky [Phys. Rev. B 35, 6964 (1987)]. By a decomposition of the principal Feynman diagrams, we obtain diagrams which again can be interpreted as resistor networks. This interpretation provides for an alternative way of evaluating the Feynman diagrams for random resistor networks. We calculate the resistance crossover exponent phi up to second order in epsilon=6-d, where d is the spatial dimension. Our result phi=1+epsilon/42+4epsilon(2)/3087 verifies a previous calculation by Lubensky and Wang, which itself was based on the Potts-model formulation of the random resistor network.

Resistance of Feynman diagrams and the percolation backbone dimension.

We present an alternative view of Feynman diagrams for the field theory of random resistor networks, in which the diagrams are interpreted as being resistor networks themselves. This simplifies the field theory considerably as we demonstrate by calculating the fractal dimension D(B) of the percolation backbone to three loop order. Using renormalization group methods we obtain D(B)=2+epsilon/21-172epsilon(2)/9261+2epsilon(3)[-74 639+22 680zeta(3)]/4 084 101, where epsilon=6-d with d being the spatial dimension and zeta(3)=1.202 057... .