Cluster Growth in Two-Dimensional Quark-Hadron Phase Transition

The problem of hadronic cluster production in heavy-ion collisions is studied in search for an observable signature of first-order quark-hadron phase transition. The study is carried out by cellular automata in a two-dimensional model of the mixed phase at midrapidity. The clusters are allowed to grow as well as to coalesce upon collision. The distribution of cluster sizes is found to exhibit scaling behavior that is independent of the size of the mixed region, nucleation radius and nucleation probability. The universal scaling index $\gamma=1.86\pm 0.18$ may be used to characterize and identify the phase transition process. Possible connection with self-organized criticality is pointed out.