Interface delocalization transitions in semi-infinite systems

Abstract

The relationship between surface wetting transitions and surface-induced disorder (SID) transitions is studied. The correspondence between the scaling variables at these two types of interface delocalization transitions is derived and the connection between the scaling laws is made explicit. This wetting-SID correspondence is then used to obtain a number of new results. SID transitions are shown to correspond to special points in more general interface delocalization phase diagrams and it is argued that the SID transition is always continuous in $d=2\mathrm{}$. Exact results for the surface exponents are obtained in this case. New higher-order multicritical wetting phenomena are also predicted and the scaling behavior of local surface quantities at the wetting transition is discussed in detail.