title: Critical dynamics of gauge systems: spontaneous vortex formation in 2D superconductors.
abstract: We examine the formation of vortices during the nonequilibrium relaxation of a high-temperature initial state of an Abelian-Higgs system. We equilibrate the scalar and gauge fields using gauge-invariant Langevin equations and relax the system by instantaneously removing thermal fluctuations. For couplings near critical, kappa(c) = square root[lambda]/e = 1, we observe the formation of large clusters of like-sign magnetic vortices. Their appearance has implications for the dynamics of the phase transition, for the distribution of topological defects, and for late-time phase ordering kinetics. We offer explanations for both the observed vortex densities and vortex configurations.
authors.affiliation: Theoretical Division T-6 MS B288, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.forename: Luís M A
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Bettencourt
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Zurek