Related papers: First-order phase transitions in two-dimensional o…
First-order phase transitions are characterized by a discontinuous first derivative of the Gibbs free energy, so that volumes and entropies are discontinuous. Such transitions are common in the crystalline state, but extremely rare in…
The dynamics at the critical-point of a general first-order quantum phase transition in a finite system is examined, from an algebraic perspective. Suitable Hamiltonians are constructed whose spectra exhibit coexistence of states…
First-order structural phase transition is a common phenomenon in materials that qualitatively alters their physical properties. Yet, the abrupt first-order nature is usually unexplained by realistic computations, implying an omission of…
We investigate the one-dimensional finite-size XY model with opposing surface fields in the X direction. Exact solutions are obtained for the two-site and three-site models, while numerical methods are employed for models with more than…
We have simulated the thermodynamics of vortices in a thin film of a type-II superconductor. We make the lowest Landau level approximation, and use quasi-periodic boundary conditions. Our work is consistent with the results of previous…
Using a generalized order parameter gradient expansion within density functional theory, we derive a phase-field-crystal model for liquid crystals composed by apolar particles in three spatial dimensions. Both the translational density and…
The phase-field-crystal model for liquid crystals is solved numerically in two spatial dimensions. This model is formulated with three position-dependent order parameters, namely the reduced translational density, the local nematic order…
We present a mean-field description of the zig-zag phase transition of a quasi-one-dimensional system of strongly interacting particles, with interaction potential $r^{-n}e^{-r/\lambda}$, that are confined by a power-law potential…
We use an optimised hopping parameter expansion for the free energy (linear delta expansion) to study the phase transitions at finite temperature and finite charge density in a global U(1) scalar Higgs sector on the lattice at large lattice…
A chain of singly-charged particles, confined by a harmonic potential, exhibits a sudden transition to a zigzag configuration when the radial potential reaches a critical value, depending on the particle number. This structural change is a…
Liquid crystals in two dimensions do not support long-ranged nematic order, but a quasi-nematic phase where the orientational correlations decay algebraically is possible. The transition from the isotropic to the quasi-nematic phase can be…
The present manuscript gives a theoretical description of the first-order phase transition in a cell fluid model with a modified Morse potential and additional repulsive interaction. In the framework of the grand canonical ensemble, the…
When studied at finite temperature, Yang-Mills theories in $3+1$ dimensions display the presence of confinement/deconfinement phase transitions, which are known to be of first order -- the $SU(2)$ gauge theory being the exception.…
A first-order, confinement/deconfinement phase transition appears in the finite temperature behavior of many non-Abelian gauge theories. These theories play an important role in proposals for completion of the Standard Model of particle…
We consider a two-dimensional lattice model for liquid crystals consisting of long rods interacting via purely hard core interactions, with two allowed orientations defined by the underlying lattice. We rigorously prove the existence of a…
We investigate the low-energy properties of the orthogonal-dimer spin chain characterized by a frustrated dimer-plaquette structure. When the competing antiferromagnetic couplings are varied, the first-order quantum phase transition occurs…
Alloys with a first-order magnetic transition are central to solid-state refrigeration technology, sensors and actuators, or spintronic devices. The discontinuous nature of the transition in these materials is a consequence of the coupling…
A microscopic description is given for the behavior of the fluid system in an immediate vicinity of its critical point, where theoretical and experimental researches are difficult to carry out. For the temperatures $T<T_c$, the regions of…
We consider two-dimensional systems of point particles located on rectangular lattices and interacting via pairwise potentials. The goal of this paper is to investigate the phase transitions (and their nature) at fixed density for the…
We investigate the dynamics of a first order transition when the order parameter field undergoes resonant oscillations, driven by a periodically varying parameter of the free energy. This parameter could be a background oscillating field as…