Nucleation rate in a heterogeneous quartic system

The nucleation of a stable phase from a metastable phase is studied using the string method applied to a model Ginzburg-Landau system with a quartic potential. A temperature-like parameter is varied in order to move the system between its binodal and spinodal points. A heterogeneity is added to the system in the form of a wedge-shaped substrate. The effect of the heterogeneity on the nucleation barrier height is obtained from the string method. The results are compared with those of the classical nucleation theory. Our results highlight the value of the string method, as well as the validity and limitations of the classical theory.