A topology constrained phase field model

Abstract

This paper presents a topology constrained phase field model based on a variable mobility Cahn-Hilliard equation. Mostly in the level set framework, this issue has been addressed using concepts from digital topology. However, point based specifications can not be effective in phase fields where the interface is represented by a diffuse region. In phase field models, topology constraints are included in the energy as a penalty term. However, there are no studies which provide topological constraints in the Cahn-Hilliard model to our knowledge. In this work, we use the mobility parameter to enforce topology constraints; this allows local, explicit control of topological events, unlike the optimization based solutions. We define topologically critical regions in phase fields based on a topological analysis of phase field evolution. This analysis shows that diffuse layers formed at topological encounters behave like a Morse function and the critical points of these transitional layers give topologically critical points in phase fields. Using this property, we first detect critical points using an efficient image analysis method. Then we detect the transitional region (critical region) around each critical point using a local morphological segmentation algorithm. We define a mobility function which both has a spatial and concentration dependence. This function is designed to reverse the effect of diffuse layers formed at topological encounters and prevent the further development of topological events. Being extracted from phase field values, the mobility map naturally aligns with phase field evolution. Together with the use of an unconditionally stable semi-implicit Fourier spectral method for the variable mobility Cahn-Hilliard equation, an efficient model is provided. Local, explicit control mechanism allows the design of free energy functional for modeling different materials; this extends the use of Cahn-Hilliard equation to applications which require topology control.