Wetting effects at a grain boundary.
We consider a tier of weakened bonds along the center line of a two-dimensional Ising ferromagnet strip as a model of a grain boundary. When an interface traverses such a strip at an angle, whether or not there is a continuous pinning-depinning transition at subcritical temperature depends on this angle and the degree of bond weakening. We also study the relaxation of such a system to its equilibrium state using continuous time Monte Carlo simulation with Kawasaki dynamics; this reveals a matter transport mechanism confined to the grain boundary.
Theoretical Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3NP, United Kingdom.
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DB
Abraham
Ville
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Mustonen
A J
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Wood