Bistability

Bistability

Something that is bistable can be resting in two states. In physics, for an ensemble of particles, the bistability comes from the fact that its free energy has three critical points. Two of them are minima and the last is a maximum. By mathematical arguments, the maximum must lie between the two minima. By default, the system state will be in either of the minima states, because that corresponds to the state of lowest energy. The maximum can be visualised as a barrier.

A transition from one state of minimal free energy requires some form of activation energy to penetrate the barrier (compare activation energy and Arrhenius equation for the chemical case.) After the barrier has been reached, the system will relax into the next state of lowest energy again. The time it takes is usually attributed the relaxation time. (There might be uncertainty as to which state will be the new one, but it is often well defined in the situation.)

Optical bistability is an attribute of certain optical devices where two resonant transmissions states are possible and stable, dependent on the input.

ee also

*ferroelectric, ferromagnetic, hysteresis, bistable perception
*astable multivibrator, monostable multivibrator.
*Schmidt trigger
*strong Allee effect
*Multistable perception describes the spontaneous or exogenous alternation of different percepts in face of the same physical stimulus.

External links

*http://www.answers.com/topic/optical-bistability


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • bistability — dviejų būsenų stabilumas statusas T sritis radioelektronika atitikmenys: angl. bistability vok. Bistabilität, f rus. бистабильность, f pranc. bistabilité, f …   Radioelektronikos terminų žodynas

  • bistability — noun The state or condition of being bistable …   Wiktionary

  • bistability — bi·stability …   English syllables

  • bistability — noun see bistable …   Useful english dictionary

  • Optical bistability — In optics, optical bistability is an attribute of certain optical devices where two resonant transmissions states are possible and stable, dependent on the input. Optical devices with a feedback mechanism, e.g. a laser, provide two methods of… …   Wikipedia

  • electrical bistability —  Electrical Bistability  Электрическая бистабильность   Явление, при котором объект обнаруживает два состояния различной проводимости при одном и том же подаваемом напряжении …   Толковый англо-русский словарь по нанотехнологии. - М.

  • Great Oxygenation Event — O2 build up in the Earth s atmosphere. Red and green lines represent the range of the estimates while time is measured in billions of years ago (Ga). Stage 1 (3.85–2.45 Ga): Practically no O2 in the atmosphere. Stage 2 (2.45–1.85 Ga): O2 produced …   Wikipedia

  • Passive matrix addressing — is an addressing scheme used in earlier LCD displays, and may be used in future LCD displays. This is a matrix addressing scheme meaning that only n + m control signals are required to address a n times; m display. A pixel in a passive matrix… …   Wikipedia

  • Small-world network — In mathematics and physics, a small world network is a type of mathematical graph in which most nodes are not neighbors of one another, but most nodes can be reached from every other by a small number of hops or steps. A small world network,… …   Wikipedia

  • Slow-wave sleep — (SWS), often referred to as deep sleep, consists of stages 3 and 4 of non rapid eye movement sleep, according to the Rechtschaffen Kales (R K) standard of 1968.[1] As of 2008, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has discontinued the use …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”