Dynamical symmetry breaking and phase transitions in driven diffusive systems

Understand

We study the probability distribution of a current flowing through a diffusive system connected to a pair of reservoirs at its two ends.

• Sufficient conditions for the occurrence of a host of possible phase transitions both in and out of equilibrium are derived.
• These transitions manifest themselves as singularities in the large deviation function, resulting in enhanced current fluctuations.
• Microscopic models which implement each of the scenarios are presented, with possible experimental realizations.