Dynamics of Kinks: Nucleation, Diffusion, and Annihilation
- T-8, Theoretical Division, MS B285, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States)
- Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States)
We investigate the nucleation, annihilation, and dynamics of kinks in a classical (1+1)-dimensional {phi}{sup 4} field theory at finite temperature. From large scale Langevin simulations, we establish that the nucleation rate is proportional to the square of the equilibrium density of kinks. We identify two annihilation time scales: one due to kink-antikink pair recombination after nucleation, the other from nonrecombinant annihilation. We introduce a mesoscopic model of diffusing kinks based on ''paired'' and ''survivor'' kinks and antikinks. Analytical predictions for the dynamical time scales, as well as the corresponding length scales, are in good agreement with the simulations. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.
- OSTI ID:
- 20215523
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review Letters, Vol. 84, Issue 6; Other Information: PBD: 7 Feb 2000; ISSN 0031-9007
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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