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Quantum Statistical Mechanics of Nonrelativistic Membranes: Crumpling Transition at Finite Temperature

M. E. S. Borelli, H. Kleinert, Adriaan M. J. Schakel

cond-matarXiv:cond-mat/9905241

Abstract

The effect of quantum fluctuations on a nearly flat, nonrelativistic two-dimensional membrane with extrinsic curvature stiffness and tension is investigated. The renormalization group analysis is carried out in first-order perturbative theory. In contrast to thermal fluctuations, which soften the membrane at large scales and turn it into a crumpled surface, quantum fluctuations are found to stiffen the membrane, so that it exhibits a Hausdorff dimension equal to two. The large-scale behavior of the membrane is further studied at finite temperature, where a nontrivial fixed point is found, signaling a crumpling transition.

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