Finite-Size Effects on Critical Diffusion and Relaxation Towards Metastable Equilibrium

Abstract

We present the first analytic study of finite-size effects on critical diffusion above and below T_c of three-dimensional Ising-like systems whose order parameter is coupled to a conserved density. We also calculate the finite-size relaxation time that governs the critical order-parameter relaxation towards a metastable equilibrium state below T_c. Two new universal dynamic amplitude ratios at T_c are predicted and quantitative predictions of dynamic finite-size scaling functions are given that can be tested by Monte-Carlo simulations.