Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-18-1994
Publication Title
Physical Review Letters
Department
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
The dynamics of weak vs. strong first order phase transitions is investigated numerically for 2+1 dimensional scalar field models. It is argued that the change from a weak to a strong transition is itself a (second order) phase transition, with the order parameter being the equilibrium fractional population difference between the two phases at the critical temperature, and the control parameter being the coefficient of the cubic coupling in the free-energy density. The critical point is identified, and a power law controlling the relaxation dynamics at this point is obtained. Possible applications are briefly discussed.
DOI
10.1103/PhysRevLett.73.3495
Dartmouth Digital Commons Citation
Gleiser, Marcelo, "Dynamics of Weak First Order Phase Transitions" (1994). Dartmouth Scholarship. 2666.
https://digitalcommons.dartmouth.edu/facoa/2666
