Ordering kinetics in q-state random-bond clock model: Role of Vortices and Interfaces

In this article, we present a Monte Carlo study of phase transition and coarsening dynamics in the non-conserved two-dimensional random-bond $q$-state clock model (RBCM) deriving from a pure clock model [Phys. Rev. E 98, 032109 (2018)]. Akin to the pure clock model, RBCM also passes through two different phases when quenched from a disordered initial configuration representing at infinite temperature. Our investigation of the equilibrium phase transition affirms that both upper ($T_c^1$) and lower ($T_c^2$) phase transition temperatures decrease with bond randomness strength $\epsilon$. Effect of $\epsilon$ on the non-equilibrium coarsening dynamics is investigated following independent rapid quenches in the quasi-long range ordered (QLRO, $T_c^2 < T < T_c^1$) regime and long-range ordered (LRO, $T<T_c^2$) regime at temperature $T$. We report that the dynamical scaling of the correlation function and structure factor are independent of $\epsilon$ and the presence of quenched disorder slows down domain coarsening. Coarsening dynamics in both LRO and QLRO regimes are further characterized by power-law growth with disorder-dependent exponents within our simulation time scales. The growth exponents in the LRO regime decreases from 0.5 in the pure case to 0.22 in the maximum disordered case, whereas the corresponding change in the QLRO regime happens from 0.45 to 0.38. We further explored the coarsening dynamics in the bond-diluted clock model and in both the models, the effect of the disorder is more significant for the quench in the LRO regime compared to the QLRO regime.