https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2003-00341-x
Bulk mediated surface diffusion: the infinite system case
1
Grupo de Física Estadística, Centro
Atómico Bariloche and Instituto Balseiro, 8400 San Carlos de
Bariloche, Argentina
2
Facultad de Matemáticas,
Astronomía y Física, Universidad Nacional de
Córdoba 5000 Córdoba, Argentina
3
Departament de
Física, Universitat de les Illes Balears and IMEDEA
07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Corresponding author: a wio@imedea.uib.es
Received:
2
September
2003
Published online:
8
December
2003
An analytical soluble model based on a Continuous Time Random Walk (CTRW) scheme for the adsorption-desorption processes at interfaces, called bulk-mediated surface diffusion, is presented. The time evolution of the effective probability distribution width on the surface is calculated and analyzed within an anomalous diffusion framework. The asymptotic behavior for large times shows a sub-diffusive regime for the effective surface diffusion but, depending on the observed range of time, other regimes may be obtained. Monte Carlo simulations show excellent agreement with analytical results. As an important byproduct of the indicated approach, we present the evaluation of the time for the first visit to the surface.
PACS: 05.40.Fb – Random walks and Levy flights / 02.50.Ey – Stochastic processes / 46.65.+g – Random phenomena and media
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2003
