ON THE DECAY OF METASTABLE STATES NEAR A 1ST-ORDER WETTING TRANSITION

For a system with a first-order wetting transition we discuss the decay of metastable wetting layers by nucleation. The assumption of detailed balance implies that some essential properties of the decay process follow from statics alone. E.g., the lifetime of the metastable states is predominantly determined by the excess free energy of critical nuclei. The latter are either droplets on a microscopic layer or dents in a macroscopic layer on the wall of the system. We discuss the form and the excess free energy of the critical nuclei in various regions of the phase diagram.