Defect-induced phase transition in the asymmetric simple exclusion process

¹ Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität zu Köln - 50937 Köln, Germany
² CSDC Università di Firenze - via G. Sansone 1, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy

Received: 20 February 2015
Accepted: 17 April 2015

Abstract

We reconsider the long-standing question of the critical defect hopping rate r_c in the one-dimensional totally asymmetric exclusion process (TASEP) with a slow bond (defect). For r < r_c a phase-separated state is observed due to queuing at the defect site, whereas for the defect site, has only local effects on the stationary state of the homogeneous system. Mean-field theory predicts (when hopping rates outside the defect bond are equal to 1) but numerical investigations seem to indicate . Here we improve the numerics to show that r_c > 0.99 and give strong evidence that indeed as predicted by mean-field theory, and anticipated by recent theoretical findings.