2025/11/20 by Annika Vonhusen, Sören Schweers, Vonhusen, Annika +5
Physics and Astronomy · #stochastic dynamics and bifurcation #Theoretical and Computational Physics #Quantum many-body systems
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2511.16234
Driven particle transport in crowded and confining environments is fundamental to diverse phenomena across physics, chemistry, and biology. A main objective in studying such systems is to identify novel emergent states and phases of collective dynamics. Here, we report on a nonequilibrium phase transition occurring in periodic structures at high particle densities. This transition separates a weak-current phase of thermally activated transport from a high-current phase of solitary wave propagation. It is reflected also in a change of universality classes characterizing correlations of particle current fluctuations. Our findings demonstrate that sudden changes to high current states can occur when increasing particle densities beyond critical values.