Logarithmic roughening in a growth process with edge evaporation

TL;DR

This paper investigates a growth process with edge evaporation, revealing logarithmic interface roughening through high-precision simulations and a simple theoretical approximation, advancing understanding of roughening transitions.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed analysis and scaling forms for a growth process with edge evaporation, explaining the logarithmic roughening behavior.

Findings

Interface roughens logarithmically with time

Scaling forms for various quantities are established

A simple approximation explains the logarithmic roughening

Abstract

Roughening transitions are often characterized by unusual scaling properties. As an example we investigate the roughening transition in a solid-on-solid growth process with edge evaporation [Phys. Rev. Lett. 76, 2746 (1996)], where the interface is known to roughen logarithmically with time. Performing high-precision simulations we find appropriate scaling forms for various quantities. Moreover we present a simple approximation explaining why the interface roughens logarithmically.