Composition waves in confined geometries

Abstract

The dynamics of spinodal decomposition in confined geometries is studied using molecular-dynamics simulations and the numerical integration of the exact equation of motion of soft Ising spins undergoing Kawasaki dynamics. We argue that, as long as there is a conservation law for the two species and a planar heterogenity is present in the initial conditions, composition waves with a wave vector normal to the heterogeneity should be observed. Our results indicate that hydrodynamic modes play a role in determining the dynamics.