We show that approximating the Becker-Döring equations with a Langevin equation results in multiplicative noise, which in turn leads to a family of possible Fokker-Planck equations according to the Ito-Stratonovich dilemma. Using a simple and general model for the attachment and detachment rates, we find that the Ito choice approximates the nucleation rate best and also coincides with the Fokker-Planck equation resulting from the common way to Taylor expand the original set of rate equations.

• Received 7 December 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.93.022801