Nonequilibrium characterization of spinodal points using short time dynamics

Although intuitively appealing, the concept of spinodal is rigorously defined only in systems with infinite range interactions mean-field systems. In short-range systems, a pseudospinodal can be defined by extrapolation of metastable measurements, but the point itself is not reachable because it lie...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Loscar, Ernesto Selim, Ferrero, Ezequiel E., Grigera, Tomás Sebastián, Cannas, Sergio A.
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2009
Country:Argentina
Institution:Universidad Nacional de La Plata
Repository:SEDICI (UNLP)
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:sedici.unlp.edu.ar:10915/129368
Online Access:http://sedici.unlp.edu.ar/handle/10915/129368
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Química
Física
Spinodal
Short time dynamics
Monte Carlo
Potts and Ising models
Description
Summary:Although intuitively appealing, the concept of spinodal is rigorously defined only in systems with infinite range interactions mean-field systems. In short-range systems, a pseudospinodal can be defined by extrapolation of metastable measurements, but the point itself is not reachable because it lies beyond the metastability limit. In this work we show that a sensible definition of spinodal points can be obtained through the short time dynamical behavior of the system deep inside the metastable phase by looking for a point where the system shows critical behavior. We show that spinodal points obtained by this method agree both with the thermodynamical spinodal point in mean-field systems and with the pseudospinodal point obtained by extrapolation of metaequilibrium behavior in short-range systems. With this definition, a practical determination can be achieved without regard for equilibration issues.