Instantons and Surface Tension at a First-Order Transition

We study the dynamics of the first order phase transition in the two dimensional 15-state Potts model, both at and off equilibrium. We find that phase changes take place through nucleation in both cases, and finite volume effects are described well through an instanton computation. Thus a dynamical measurement of the surface tension is possible. We find that the order-disorder surface tension is compatible with perfect wetting. An accurate treatment of fluctuations about the instanton solution is seen to be of great importance.