Bulk-driven nonequilibrium phase transitions in a mesoscopic ring

Phys Rev Lett. 2006 Sep 1;97(9):095701. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.095701. Epub 2006 Aug 30.

Abstract

We study a periodic one-dimensional exclusion process composed of a driven and a diffusive part. In a mesoscopic limit where both dynamics compete we identify bulk-driven phase transitions. We employ mean-field theory complemented by Monte Carlo simulations to characterize the emerging nonequilibrium steady states. Monte Carlo simulations reveal interesting correlation effects that we explain phenomenologically.