Field theory of disordered systems -- Avalanches of an elastic interface in a random medium

Abstract

In this thesis I discuss analytical approaches to disordered systems using field theory. Disordered systems are characterized by a random energy landscape due to heterogeneities, which remains fixed on the time scales of the phenomena considered. I focus specifically on elastic interfaces in random media, such as pinned domain walls in ferromagnets containing defects, fluid contact lines on rough surfaces, etc. The goal is to understand static properties (e.g. the roughness) of such systems, and their dynamics in response to an external force. The interface moves in avalanches, triggered at random points in time, separated by long periods of quiescence. For magnetic domain walls, this phenomenon is known as Barkhausen noise. I first study the model of a particle in a Brownian random force landscape, applicable to high-dimensional interfaces. Its exact solution for a monotonous, but time-varying driving force is obtained. This allows computing the joint distribution of avalanche sizes and durations, and their spatial and temporal shape. I then generalize these results to a short-range correlated disorder. Using the functional renormalization group, I compute the universal distributions of avalanche sizes, durations, and their average shape as a function of time. The corrections with respect to the Brownian model become important in sufficiently low dimension (e.g. for a crack front in the fracture of a solid). I then discuss connections to the rough phase of Kardar-Parisi-Zhang nonlinear surface growth, and an application to the variable-range hopping model of electric conductance in a disordered insulator.