\(\Gamma\)-convergence of the Allen-Cahn energy with an oscillating forcing term (Q2496511)

The energy functional \[ G_\varepsilon(u)=\int_\Omega\left\{\varepsilon| \nabla u(x)| ^2+{W(u(x))\over\varepsilon}+ {1\over\varepsilon^\alpha}g\left({x\over\varepsilon^\alpha}\right)u(x)\right\}\text{d}x\quad\varepsilon>0,\;u\in H^1(\Omega) \] appearing in the mesoscopic theory of phase transition is studied as \(\varepsilon\) tends to 0, where \(W\) is a double-well potential and \(g\) is a \(L^\infty({\mathbb R}^N)\) periodic function giving rise to a bulk term modeling the interaction with a periodic mean zero external field. This field is amplified and dilated with a power of the transition layer thickness \(\varepsilon\) leading to a nontrivial interaction of forcing and concentration when \(\varepsilon\) tends to 0. It is proved that, for \(0<\alpha<1\), \(G_\varepsilon\) \(\Gamma\)-converges after an additive renormalization to an isotropic surface energy if the period of the oscillation is larger than the interface thickness. Some comments and an analysis of the difficulties occurring when \(\alpha\geq1\) are added.