Effect of branched flow to particle and heat transport in disordered systems

Branched flow is a transport regime that occurs under weakly disordered potentials with correlation length larger than the characteristic wavelength of the particles. It occurs in variety of systems including sound, light, water and matter waves. When particles or waves travel under such a potential, they start to form caustics and produce long, narrow branches where the particles flow. Electron conduction and electronic heat transport can be affected by the occurrence of branched flow and needs to be considered under such conditions. In this project, we will explore different regimes of transport using classical and quantum simulations of particle and wave propagation. Students will gain physical insights into particle and wave phenomena, write their own codes to simulate dynamics, and produce beautiful scientific art.

Reference: Eric J. Heller, Ragnar Fleischmann, Tobias Kramer; Branched flow. Physics Today 1 December 2021; 74 (12): 44–51. https://doi.org/10.1063/PT.3.4902