Dynamic metastability in the two-dimensional Potts ferromagnet

TL;DR

This study explores the non-equilibrium behavior of the 2D Potts model after a quench, revealing finite-size effects on metastability and confirming analytical predictions through numerical simulations.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed numerical analysis of metastability in the 2D Potts model across multiple q values, confirming finite-size effects predicted analytically.

Findings

Metastability is a finite size effect in the 2D Potts model.

A stationary regime emerges below the transition temperature.

Results align with analytical continuation of free energy predictions.

Abstract

We investigate the non-equilibrium dynamics of the 2D Potts model on the square lattice after a quench below the discontinuous transition point. By means of numerical simulations of systems with q =12,24 and 48 we observe the onset of a stationary regime below the temperature-driven transition, in a temperature interval decreasing with the system size and increasing with q. These results obtained dynamically agree with those obtained from the analytical continuation of the free energy (Meunier and Morel, 2000), from which metastability in the 2D Potts model results to be a finite size effect.