Growth kinetics and aging phenomena in a frustrated system

We study numerically the ordering kinetics in a two-dimensional Ising model with random coupling where the fraction of antiferromagnetic links a can be gradually tuned. We show that, upon increasing such fraction, the behavior changes in a radical way. Small a does not prevent the system from a complete ordering, but this occurs in an extremely (logarithmically) slow manner. However, larger values of this parameter destroy complete ordering, due to frustration, and the evolution is comparatively faster (algebraic). Our study shows a precise correspondence between the kind of developing order, ferromagnetic versus frustrated, and the speed of evolution. The aging properties of the system are studied by focusing on the scaling properties of two-time quantities, the autocorrelation and linear response functions. We find that the contribution of an equilibrium and an aging part to these functions occurs differently in the various regions of the phase diagram of the model. When quenching inside the ferromagnetic phase, the two-time quantities are obtained by the addition of these parts. Instead, in the paramagnetic phase, these two contributions enter multiplicatively. Both of the scaling forms are shown with excellent accuracy, and the corresponding scaling functions and exponents have been determined and discussed. Graphical abstract