Anomalous coarsening and glassy dynamics

Abstract

An overview of the related topics of anomalous coarsening and glassy dynamics is given. In anomalous coarsening, the typical domain size of an ordered phase grows more slowly with time than the power law dependence that is usually observed, for example, in magnetic systems. We discuss how anomlaous coarsening may arise through domain-size dependent energy barriers in the coarsening process. We also review the phenomenology of glassy dynamics and discuss how simple nonequilibrium models may be used to reproduce certain aspects of the phenomenology. In particular, models involving dynamical constraints that give rise to anomalous coarsening are considered. Two models, the Asymmetric Constrained Ising Chain and the ABC model, are discussed in detail with emphasis on how the large energy barriers to coarsening arise through the local dynamical constraints. Finally, the relevance of models exhibiting anomalous coarsening to glassy systems is discussed in a wider context.