Domain formation in noninstantaneous symmetry-breaking phase transitions

In the framework of the Ginzburg-Landau harmonic-potential approximation, we present a possible modeling of the time dependence of the frequency of the order-parameter mode suitable to account for the formation of correlated domains in noninstantaneous symmetry-breaking phase transitions. An interesting spectrum of possibilities for the size and the lifetime of these domains emerges, which appears to be consistent with the conclusions of other, differently grounded analyses. © 2002 The American Physical Society.