Functional Renormalization Description of the Roughening Transition

Abstract

We reconsider the problem of the static thermal roughening of an elastic manifold at the critical dimension $d=2$ in a periodic potential, using a perturbative Functional Renormalization Group approach. Our aim is to describe the effective potential seen by the manifold below the roughening temperature on large length scales. We obtain analytically a flow equation for the potential and surface tension of the manifold, valid at all temperatures. On a length scale $L$, the renormalized potential is made up of a succession of quasi parabolic wells, matching onto one another in a singular region of width $\sim L^{-6/5}$ for large $L$. We also obtain numerically the step energy as a function of temperature, and relate our results to the existing experimental data on $^4$He. Finally, we sketch the scenario expected for an arbitrary dimension $d<2$ and examine the case of a non local elasticity which is realized physically for the contact line.