Nonequilibrium wetting

TL;DR

This paper reviews the study of nonequilibrium wetting transitions in growing interfaces, focusing on Langevin equations like the KPZ equation and discrete models with evaporation and deposition, highlighting analytical and numerical methods.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of analytical and numerical approaches to nonequilibrium wetting, emphasizing the universality classes and rich behaviors observed.

Findings

Identification of universality classes for nonequilibrium wetting

Comparison between continuum and discrete models

Rich behaviors observed through analytical and numerical methods

Abstract

When a nonequilibrium growing interface in the presence of a wall is considered a nonequilibrium wetting transition may take place. This transition can be studied trough Langevin equations or discrete growth models. In the first case, the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation, which defines a very robust universality class for nonequilibrium moving interfaces, with a soft-wall potential is considered. While in the second, microscopic models, in the corresponding universality class, with evaporation and deposition of particles in the presence of hard-wall are studied. Equilibrium wetting is related to a particular case of the problem, it corresponds to the Edwards-Wilkinson equation with a potential in the continuum approach or to the fulfillment of detailed balance in the microscopic models. In this review we present the analytical and numerical methods used to investigate the problem and the very rich behavior that is observed with them.