Critical dynamics of classical systems under slow quench

TL;DR

This paper investigates the slow quench dynamics of a one-dimensional nonequilibrium lattice gas model, revealing how defect density scales near criticality and in different phases, with implications for understanding phase transition dynamics.

Contribution

It demonstrates that defect density during slow quenches follows algebraic decay governed by critical coarsening, extending Kibble-Zurek theory to nonequilibrium lattice gases.

Findings

Defect density decays algebraically near the critical point.

Standard Kibble-Zurek scaling applies in part of the critical region.

Deep into the jammed phase, defect behavior aligns with rapid quench dynamics.

Abstract

We study the slow quench dynamics of a one-dimensional nonequilibrium lattice gas model which exhibits a phase transition in the stationary state between a fluid phase with homogeneously distributed particles and a jammed phase with a macroscopic hole cluster. Our main result is that in the critical region ({\it i.e.}, at the critical point and in its vicinity) where the dynamics are assumed to be frozen in the standard Kibble-Zurek argument, the defect density exhibits an algebraic decay in the inverse annealing rate with an exponent that can be understood using critical coarsening dynamics. However, in a part of the critical region in the fluid phase, the standard Kibble-Zurek scaling holds. We also find that when the slow quench occurs deep into the jammed phase, the defect density behavior is explained by the rapid quench dynamics in this phase.