Homogenization and phase separation with space dependent wells -- The subcritical case

TL;DR

This paper analyzes a variational model for homogenization and phase separation with space-dependent wells, identifying the limiting behaviors and microstructure contributions, especially when wells are discontinuous or non-constant.

Contribution

It characterizes the zeroth and first order $ ext{Gamma}$-limits for a model with space-dependent wells, including discontinuities, and extends the theory of inhomogeneous Modica Mortola functionals.

Findings

Identified the zeroth and first order $ ext{Gamma}$-limits in the subcritical regime.

Described the microstructure contributions in cases with non-constant wells.

Characterized the minimizers depending on the continuity of the wells.

Abstract

A variational model for the interaction between homogenization and phase separation is considered. The focus is on the regime where the latter happens at a smaller scale than the former, and when the wells of the double well potential are allowed to move and to have discontinuities. The zeroth and first order $\Gamma$-limits are identified. The topology considered for the latter is that of two-scale, since it encodes more information on the asymptotic local microstructure. In particular, when the wells are non constant, the first order $\Gamma$-limit describes the contribution of microscopic phase separation, also in situations where there is no macroscopic phase separation. As a corollary, the minimum of the mass constrained minimization problem is characterized, and it is shown to depend on whether or not the wells are discontinuous. In the process of proving these results, the theory of inhomogeneous Modica Mortola functionals is strengthened.