THE INTERFACE OF A MULTILAYER CONTACT PROCESS

We study the interface of a recently introduced multilayer contact pro cess. In this model the mean value (n) over bar of the height of its i nterface depends on time t and on parameter p related with evaporation and deposition of particles (0 less than or equal to p less than or e qual to 1). For p(1c) < p < p(2c), (n) over bar reaches finite nontriv ial values in the steady-state regime. The system exhibit a reversible transition at pi, and an irreversible transition between active and a bsorbing states at p(2c). We analyze: (i) the steady-state regime comp uting the height-height correlation function C(I) as a function of the distance I between two points, and (ii) the dynamic of the interface in the transient regime computing the interface width w(t) as a functi on of time t. From scaling analysis it is found: (i) in the limit p -- > p(2c)(-), C(l) similar to l(alpha), alpha = 0.075 +/- 0.005 for l mu ch less than l(c), where l(c) (l(c) similar to (p(2c) - p)(-epsilon), epsilon similar or equal to 0.5) is the crossover lengh, and (ii) a go od approximation for w(t) for p greater than or similar to p(lc). For p = p(2c) w(t) diverges t(1/2). (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rig hts reserved.