Off-equilibrium scaling behaviors across first-order transitions.

We study off-equilibrium behaviors at first-order transitions (FOTs) driven by a time dependence of the temperature across the transition point T(c), such as the linear behavior T(t)/T(c)=1±t/t(s) where t(s) is a time scale. In particular, we investigate the possibility of nontrivial off-equilibrium scaling behaviors in the regime of slow changes, corresponding to large t(s). We consider the two-dimensional Potts models, which provide an ideal theoretical laboratory to investigate issues related to FOTs driven by thermal fluctuations. We put forward general ansatzes for off-equilibrium scaling behaviors around the time t=0 corresponding to T(c). Then we present numerical results for the q=10 and 20 Potts models. We show that off-equilibrium scaling behaviors emerge at FOTs with relaxational dynamics, when appropriate boundary conditions are considered, such as mixed boundary conditions favoring different phases at the opposite sides of the system, which enforce an interface in the system.