Domain Wall Dynamics of Phase Interfaces

TL;DR

This paper investigates the behavior of phase interfaces in relativistic quantum field theories, comparing different order parameters and addressing misconceptions in nucleation rate calculations.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of surface dynamics, compares scalar field and energy density as order parameters, and corrects errors in existing literature on nucleation rates.

Findings

Scalar field and energy density offer different insights into phase interface dynamics.

Identifies and corrects conceptual errors in the literature on nucleation rate prefactors.

Highlights peculiarities in the use of free energy functionals for non-equilibrium states.

Abstract

The statics and dynamics of a surface separating two phases of a relativistic quantum field theory at or near the critical temperature typically make use of a free energy as a functional of an order parameter. This free energy functional also affords an economical description of states away from equilibrium. The similarities and differences between using a scalar field as the order parameter versus the energy density are examined, and a peculiarity is noted. We also point out several conceptual errors in the literature dealing with the dynamical prefactor in the nucleation rate.