Convergence of the Allen-Cahn equation with a nonlinear Robin Boundary Condition to Mean Curvature Flow with Contact Angle close to $90$°

Helmut Abels, Maximilian Moser

Published 2021-05-18, updated 2021-05-31Version 2

This paper is concerned with the sharp interface limit for the Allen-Cahn equation with a nonlinear Robin boundary condition in a bounded smooth domain $\Omega\subset\mathbb{R}^2$. We assume that a diffuse interface already has developed and that it is in contact with the boundary $\partial\Omega$. The boundary condition is designed in such a way that the limit problem is given by the mean curvature flow with constant $\alpha$-contact angle. For $\alpha$ close to $90${\deg} we prove a local in time convergence result for well-prepared initial data for times when a smooth solution to the limit problem exists. Based on the latter we construct a suitable curvilinear coordinate system and carry out a rigorous asymptotic expansion for the Allen-Cahn equation with the nonlinear Robin boundary condition. Moreover, we show a spectral estimate for the corresponding linearized Allen-Cahn operator and with its aid we derive strong norm estimates for the difference of the exact and approximate solutions using a Gronwall-type argument.