Symmetry-breaking transition in finite Frenkel-Kontorova chains

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
In this Letter we investigate a symmetry-breaking transition in the Frenkel-Kontorova model for finite chains with free-end boundary conditions. We present a detailed study of the behavior in the vicinity of the transition. It is shown that the gap in the phonon spectrum, the disorder parameter, and the reflection-symmetry parameter display scaling properties close to the transition. Their associated critical exponents are discussed and related to the displacements of the particles in the chains.