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arXiv · 0904.3668

Lateral transport of thermal capillary waves

Thomas H. R. Smith·Oleg Vasilyev·Anna Maciolek·Matthias Schmidt
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Abstract

We demonstrate that collective motion of interfacial fluctuations can occur at the interface between two coexisting thermodynamic phases. Based on computer simulation results for driven diffusive Ising and Blume-Capel models, we conjecture that the thermal capillary waves at a planar interface travel along the interface if the lateral order parameter current j_op(y) is an odd function of the distance y from the interface and hence possesses opposite directions in the two phases. Such motion does not occur if j_op(y) is an even function of y. A discrete Gaussian interface model with effective dynamics exhibits similiar transport phenomena but with a simpler dispersion relation. These findings open up avenues for controlled interfacial transport on the nanoscale.

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Thomas H. R. Smith, Oleg Vasilyev, Anna Maciolek, Matthias Schmidt. 2009-04-23. Lateral transport of thermal capillary waves. https://doi.org/10.1209/0295-5075%2F89%2F10006

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