Fluctuation-dominated Phase Ordering

Fluctuation-dominated phase ordering refers to a steady state in which the magnitude of long-range order varies strongly owing to fluctuations, and to the associated coarsening phenomena during the approach to steady state. Strong fluctuations can lead to a number of interesting phenomena, including a cusp singularity in the scaled correlation function, implying the breakdown of the Porod Law. First identified in a nonequilibrium system of passively sliding particles on a fluctuating surface, fluctuation-dominated order also occurs in several other systems, including an equilibrium Ising model with long-range interactions. This article discusses these systems, and others where clustering effects are stronger.