FLUCTUATING FIELD NEAR SPINODAL

Phase ordering kinetics with a non-conserved scalar order parameter is studied near a lability boundary of a first-order phase transition. A large-scale structure of this field is found to appear. Under some co nditions it is analogous to a fractal structure in the critical region of a second-order transition. The chains and localized groups of new phase nuclei are generated by the maxima of the order parameter densit y. The results are compared with fluctuation inducing of continuous ph ase transitions predicted in the framework of the renormalization grou p (RG) approach. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.