Conservation laws and slow dynamics determine the universality class of interfaces in active matter (2511.18947v1)

Abstract: While equilibrium interfaces display universal large-scale statistics, interfaces in phase-separated active and driven systems are predicted to belong to distinct non-equilibrium universality classes. Yet, such behavior has proven difficult to observe, with most systems exhibiting equilibrium-like fluctuations despite their strongly non-equilibrium microscopic dynamics. We introduce an active hard-disk model that contrary to self-propelled models, displays clear non-equilibrium interfacial scaling and observe for the first time, the $|\boldsymbol q|$KPZ and wet-$|\boldsymbol q|$KPZ universality classes while revealing a new, previously overlooked universality class arising in systems with slow crystalline or glassy dynamics. These distinct classes are selected by conservation laws and slow hydrodynamic modes.