Dynamical and finite-size effects on the criterion of first-order phase transition

Abstract To identify first-order phase transitions in the dynamical process similar to the relativistic heavy-ion collisions, we investigate the dynamical behaviors of the first-order phase transition criterion in the Fokker–Planck framework. In the thermodynamic limit, the criterion can be expressed as combinations of cumulants or coefficients of an Ising-like effective potential. Our study reveals that factors such as phase transition scenarios, initial temperature, system volume, relaxation rate, and evolution trajectory have great impacts on the criterion, a larger initial temperature, a smaller volume, a larger relaxation rate, or bending of the trajectory will all lead to a reduction of the first-order phase transition signal, while volume expansion over time preserves signal integrity. Analysis along a hypothetical freezeout line shows that the signal is possibly preserved at relatively large chemical potentials.