The Exact Renormalization Group and First-Order Phase Transitions
Abstract
Studies of first-order phase transitions through the use of the exact renormalization group are reviewed. In the first part the emphasis is on universal aspects: We discuss the universal critical behaviour near weakly first-order phase transitions for a three-dimensional model of two coupled scalar fields -- the cubic anisotropy model. In the second part we review the application of the exact renormalization group to the calculation of bubble-nucleation rates. More specifically, we concentrate on the pre-exponential factor. We discuss the reliability of homogeneous nucleation theory that employs a saddle-point expansion around the critical bubble for the calculation of the nucleation rate.
Cite
@article{arxiv.hep-th/0012107,
title = {The Exact Renormalization Group and First-Order Phase Transitions},
author = {N. Tetradis},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:hep-th/0012107},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
13 pages, 3 figures, Invited talk at the Second Conference on the Exact Renormalization Group, Rome, September 2000