Directed Percolation with long-range interactions: modeling non-equilibrium wetting

TL;DR

This paper explores how long-range interactions influence phase transitions in non-equilibrium wetting models, revealing a shift from continuous to first-order transitions depending on the decay exponent.

Contribution

It introduces a long-range interaction model for non-equilibrium wetting and analyzes the transition nature, connecting it to directed percolation universality classes.

Findings

For σ>1, the transition is continuous and in the directed percolation class.

For 0<σ<1, the transition becomes first order.

The model explains critical behavior in various wetting phenomena.

Abstract

It is argued that some phase--transitions observed in models of non-equilibrium wetting phenomena are related to contact processes with long-range interactions. This is investigated by introducing a model where the activation rate of a site at the edge of an inactive island of length $\ell$ is $1+a\ell^{-\sigma}$. Mean--field analysis and numerical simulations indicate that for $\sigma>1$ the transition is continuous and belongs to the universality class of directed percolation, while for $0<\sigma<1$, the transition becomes first order. This criterion is then applied to discuss critical properties of various models of non--equilibrium wetting.