Defect Formation in a Dynamic Transition

When a system that undergoes a continuous phase transition is swept through its critical point the initial symmetry is broken and domains are formed. Because of critical slowing down it is not possible to sweep adiabatically; the number of domains therefore depends on the rate of increase of the critical parameter. We give a summary of recent theoretical results for the number of defects produced as a function of how rapidly the transition point is passed. They are obtained from a simplified model, using a stochastic partial differential equation that is also solved numerically.