Depinning transitions in interface growth models

Abstract

Pinning-depinning transitions are roughening transitions separating a growing phase and pinned (or blocked) one, and are frequently connected to transitions into absorbing states. In this review, we discuss lattice growth models exhibiting this type of dynamic transition. Driven growth in media with impurities, the competition between deposition and desorption and deposition of poisoning species are some of the physical mechanisms responsible for the transitions, leading to different types of stochastic growth rules. The growth models are classified according to the those mechanisms and possible applications are shown, which include suggestions of experimental realizations of directed percolation transitions.