Rigid Backbone: A New Geometry for Percolation

Abstract

It is shown that the diluted two-dimensional central-force problem belongs to a new class of percolation problems. Geometric properties such as the fractal dimension of the backbone, the correlation-length exponent, and the connectivity are completely different from those of previously studied percolation problems. Explicit calculations of the backbone and the construction of an algorithm which identifies the infinite rigid cluster clearly demonstrate the absence of singly connected bonds, the overwhelming importance of loops, and the long-range nature of the rigidity.