Convergence of the Allen-Cahn equation to the mean curvature flow with \(90^\circ\)-contact angle in 2D (Q2335843)

In a two-dimensional domain \(\Omega\), the authors consider the sharp interface limit of the Allen-Cahn equation in the real-valued unknown \(u^\varepsilon=u^\varepsilon(x,t)\) \[ \partial_tu^\varepsilon-\Delta u^\varepsilon+\frac{1}{\varepsilon^2}f'(u^\varepsilon)=0, \] where \(f\) is an appropriate double-well potential. The unknown \(u^\varepsilon\) is endowed with the Neumann boundary condition \[ \partial_{N_{\partial\Omega}}u^\varepsilon=0. \] The initial condition is \[ u^\varepsilon(x,0)=u^\varepsilon_0. \] In the above IVP the parameter \(\varepsilon0\) is related to the thickness of the diffuse interface which vanishes in the sharp limit. The limit problem is described by a mean curvature flow with a \(90^\circ\)-contact angle condition. For small times, the authors demonstrate the (strong) convergence of the above IVP to the corresponding mean curvature flow. Some assumptions include: (i) when \(\varepsilon0\) the interface in the Allen-Cahn problem has developed and intersects \(\partial\Omega\), (ii) for \(\varepsilon=0\) a smooth solution to the limit problem exists on \([0,T]\) for some \(T0\) and this solution can be appropriately parametrized. Additionally, the authors construct an approximate solution for the Allen-Cahn equation using an asymptotic expansion method on solutions to the associated mean curvature problem. Estimates on the difference between the exact solution of the IVP to the approximate solution are also given. Another novelty in this article is that the approximation method implemented here produces a profile of the solution.