Finite-size effects in dynamics: Critical vs. coarsening phenomena

¹ Theoretical Sciences Unit, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research Jakkur P.O., Bangalore 560064, India
² School of Physical Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University - New Delhi 110067, India

^a das@jncasr.ac.in

Received: 8 November 2011
Accepted: 22 February 2012

Abstract

Finite-size effects in systems with diverging characteristic length scale have been addressed via state-of-the-art Monte Carlo and molecular-dynamics simulations of various models exhibiting solid-solid, liquid-liquid and vapor-liquid transitions. Our simulations, combined with the appropriate application of the finite-size scaling theory, confirm various non-trivial singularities in equilibrium dynamic critical phenomena and non-equilibrium domain coarsening phenomena, as predicted by analytical theories. We convincingly demonstrate that the finite-size effects in the domain growth problems, with conserved order parameter dynamics, is weak and universal, irrespective of the transport mechanism. This result is strikingly different from the corresponding effects in critical dynamics. In critical phenomena, the difference in finite-size effects between statics and dynamics is also discussed.