Spatial localization and diffusion of Dirac particles and waves induced by random temporal medium variations

Abstract Wave propagation in time-varying media has attracted significant attention for its innovative potential to control wave-matter interactions and to develop versatile active materials. While most research has focused on electromagnetic waves, studies on Dirac-type waves remain limited. In thi...

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Main Authors: Seulong Kim, Kihong Kim
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-01-01
Series:Communications Physics
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-025-01951-3
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author Seulong Kim
Kihong Kim
author_facet Seulong Kim
Kihong Kim
author_sort Seulong Kim
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Wave propagation in time-varying media has attracted significant attention for its innovative potential to control wave-matter interactions and to develop versatile active materials. While most research has focused on electromagnetic waves, studies on Dirac-type waves remain limited. In this work, we investigate temporal scattering in pseudospin-1/2 Dirac systems with random temporal mass variations. Using the invariant imbedding method, we derive exact expressions for temporal reflectance in both short- and long-time regimes. In the long-time limit, reflectance probabilities become uniformly distributed, and wave group velocities decay to zero, indicating spatial localization. Numerical simulations reveal that narrow wave pulses evolve into Gaussian shapes, with their centers localizing and their widths growing indefinitely due to diffusive behavior. This universal phenomenon is independent of the initial pulse profile and the statistical properties of the random mass. Our findings demonstrate that random temporal variations can induce insulating behavior in Dirac materials, offering potential applications in solid-state physics and optics.
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issn 2399-3650
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publishDate 2025-01-01
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spelling doaj-art-2d2dbb20a0a94992935959ac7231d2682025-01-26T12:37:05ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Physics2399-36502025-01-01811910.1038/s42005-025-01951-3Spatial localization and diffusion of Dirac particles and waves induced by random temporal medium variationsSeulong Kim0Kihong Kim1Research Institute of Basic Sciences, Ajou UniversityDepartment of Physics, Ajou UniversityAbstract Wave propagation in time-varying media has attracted significant attention for its innovative potential to control wave-matter interactions and to develop versatile active materials. While most research has focused on electromagnetic waves, studies on Dirac-type waves remain limited. In this work, we investigate temporal scattering in pseudospin-1/2 Dirac systems with random temporal mass variations. Using the invariant imbedding method, we derive exact expressions for temporal reflectance in both short- and long-time regimes. In the long-time limit, reflectance probabilities become uniformly distributed, and wave group velocities decay to zero, indicating spatial localization. Numerical simulations reveal that narrow wave pulses evolve into Gaussian shapes, with their centers localizing and their widths growing indefinitely due to diffusive behavior. This universal phenomenon is independent of the initial pulse profile and the statistical properties of the random mass. Our findings demonstrate that random temporal variations can induce insulating behavior in Dirac materials, offering potential applications in solid-state physics and optics.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-025-01951-3
spellingShingle Seulong Kim
Kihong Kim
Spatial localization and diffusion of Dirac particles and waves induced by random temporal medium variations
Communications Physics
title Spatial localization and diffusion of Dirac particles and waves induced by random temporal medium variations
title_full Spatial localization and diffusion of Dirac particles and waves induced by random temporal medium variations
title_fullStr Spatial localization and diffusion of Dirac particles and waves induced by random temporal medium variations
title_full_unstemmed Spatial localization and diffusion of Dirac particles and waves induced by random temporal medium variations
title_short Spatial localization and diffusion of Dirac particles and waves induced by random temporal medium variations
title_sort spatial localization and diffusion of dirac particles and waves induced by random temporal medium variations
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-025-01951-3
work_keys_str_mv AT seulongkim spatiallocalizationanddiffusionofdiracparticlesandwavesinducedbyrandomtemporalmediumvariations
AT kihongkim spatiallocalizationanddiffusionofdiracparticlesandwavesinducedbyrandomtemporalmediumvariations