Magnetic phase transitions in one-dimensional strongly attractive three-component ultracold fermions

We investigate the nature of trions, pairing, and quantum phase transitions in one-dimensional strongly attractive three-component ultracold fermions in external fields. Exact results for the ground-state energy, critical fields, magnetization and phase diagrams are obtained analytically from the Bethe ansatz solutions. Driven by Zeeman splitting, the system shows exotic phases of trions, bound pairs, a normal Fermi liquid, and four mixtures of these states. Particularly, a smooth phase transition from a trionic phase into a pairing phase occurs as the highest hyperfine level separates from the two lower energy levels. In contrast, there is a smooth phase transition from the trionic phase into a normal Fermi liquid as the lowest level separates from the two higher levels.     

Jahn-Teller phase transitions; selection of the order parameter

A three-dimensional order parameter is proposed for Jahn-Teller phase transitions related to splitting of the ion E_g-level. A thermodynamic theory of these transitions is constructed on its basis. A selection rule of possible orderings is introduced that is based on the simultaneous entrance of the relevant order parameter into the composition of the mechanical and Jahn-Teller representations. Developed methods are approved for analysis of the structural transition in perovskites of the KCuF₃ type.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 12, pp. 51–55, December, 1989.     

Global quantum discord and quantum phase transition in XY model

We study the relationship between the behavior of global quantum correlations and quantum phase transitions in XY model. We find that the two kinds of phase transitions in the studied model can be characterized by the features of global quantum discord (GQD) and the corresponding quantum correlations. We demonstrate that the maximum of the sum of all the nearest neighbor bipartite GQDs is effective and accurate for signaling the Ising quantum phase transition, in contrast, the sudden change of GQD is very suitable for characterizing another phase transition in the XY model. This may shed lights on the study of properties of quantum correlations in different quantum phases.     

Boundary-induced nonequilibrium phase transition into an absorbing state

We demonstrate that absorbing phase transitions in one dimension may be induced by the dynamics of a single site. As an example, we consider a one-dimensional model of diffusing particles, where a single site at the boundary evolves according to the dynamics of a contact process. As the rate for offspring production at this site is varied, the model exhibits a phase transition from a fluctuating active phase into an absorbing state. The universal properties of the transition are analyzed by numerical simulations and approximation techniques.     

Pressure-induced phase transitions for goethite investigated by Raman spectroscopy and electrical conductivity

We reported two pressure-induced phase transitions of goethite up to ～35?GPa using a diamond anvil cell in conjunction with ac impendence spectroscopy, Raman spectra at room temperature. The first pressure-induced phase transition at ～7.0?GPa is manifested in noticeable changes in six Raman-active modes, two obvious splitting phenomena for the modes and the variations in the slope of conductivity. The second phase transition at ～20?GPa was characterized by an obviously drop in electrical conductivity and the noticeable changes in the Raman-active modes. The variations in activation energy with increasing pressure were also discussed to reveal the electrical properties of goethite at high pressure.     

The influence of a phase transition on the shock wave dynamics in nuclear matter

The propagation of shock waves in nuclear matter undergoing a phase transition is considered in the framework of hydrodynamical approach. It is shown that as a result of phase transition the splitting of the shock wave in two waves occurs in a certain region of energy of the colliding nuclei. Such a splitting may be manifested in energy and angular distributions of the reaction products.     

Virtual levels,mixed valence phase and electronic phase transitions in rare earth compounds

We discuss the influence of the Coulomb interaction between localized and conduction electrons on the properties of magnetic impurities in metals and on electronic phase transitions such as the γ—α—α' transitions in Ce and the insulator—metal transition in SmS. Due to excitonic pairing between ?-holes and s-electrons, similar to that in excitonic insulators, the virtual ?-levels in metals may acquire an extra width, which, in contrast to the width in the Anderson model, depends upon the position of the ?-level, the width being the largest when the ?-level crosses the Fermi-level. This effect stabilizes the intermediate valence phase. As a result, in the Falicov model we get either a gradual phase transition (like that found in SmTe), or a first order one, followed by the intermediate valence phase (SmS), or, which is most interesting, two successive jump-like transitions with a mixed valence in between, similar to the γ—α—α' transitions in Ce. The mixed valence phase is described here as a kind of an “excitonic insulator”. The theory also predicts the correct slopes of the phase equilibrium lines for both Ce and SmS.     

Discord under the influence of a quantum phase transition

This paper studies the discord of a bipartite two-level system coupling to an XY spin-chain environment in a transverse field and investigates the relationship between the discord property and the environment’s quantum phase transition.The results show that the quantum discord is also able to characterize the quantum phase transitions.We also discuss the difference between discord and entanglement,and show that quantum discord may reveal more general information than quantum entanglement for characterizing the environment’s quantum phase transition.     

Spontaneous phase transitions in ferrite garnet films

Spontaneous phase transitions in ferrite garnet films have been studied. It has been shown that, with variations in the temperature, domain walls undergo phase transitions which cause spontaneous phase transitions in the lattice of cylindrical magnetic domains. The phase transition in a domain wall causes a spin-reorientation phase transition over the whole sample near the magnetic compensation point. The character of the phase transition in the domain wall determines the mechanism of the spin-reorientation phase transition.     

A study of the character of the phase transition to the superconducting phase by the renormalization group method

This study deals with phase transitions in magnetic systems when spin fluctuations and electronphonon interaction exchange enhancement occur. It is shown that in this context fluctuations play a substantial role and determine the character of the first-order phase transition that is close to a second-order transition.     

First-order phase transition in easy-plane quantum antiferromagnets

Quantum phase transitions in Mott insulators do not fit easily into the Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson paradigm. A recently proposed alternative to it is the so-called deconfined quantum criticality scenario, providing a new paradigm for quantum phase transitions. In this context it has recently been proposed that a second-order phase transition would occur in a two-dimensional spin 1/2 quantum antiferromagnet in the deep easy-plane limit. A check of this conjecture is important for understanding the phase structure of Mott insulators. To this end we have performed large-scale Monte Carlo simulations on an effective gauge theory for this system, including a Berry-phase term that projects out the S=1/2 sector. The result is a first-order phase transition, thus contradicting the conjecture.     

Structural phase transitions in ZnS

X-ray diffraction techniques have been used to investigate structural phase transitions in ZnS between 20 and 1200°C. These measurements imply that the transition from the cubic 3C structure to the hexagonal 2H structure is a first-order phase transition while transitions between the 2H, 4H, and the 6H(33) hexagonal structures were found to obey the symmetry rules of second-order phase transitions. Direct transitions from the cubic 3C structure to the 4 or 6H hexagonal structures are not observed.     

Behavior of the antiferromagnetic phase transition near the fermion condensation quantum phase transition in YbRh2Si2

Low-temperature specific-heat measurements on YbRh₂Si₂ at the second order antiferromagnetic (AF) phase transition reveal a sharp peak at TN=72 mK. The corresponding critical exponent α turns out to be α=0.38, which differs significantly from that obtained within the framework of the fluctuation theory of second order phase transitions based on the scale invariance, where α?0.1. We show that under the application of magnetic field the curve of the second order AF phase transitions passes into a curve of the first order ones at the tricritical point leading to a violation of the critical universality of the fluctuation theory. This change of the phase transition is generated by the fermion condensation quantum phase transition. Near the tricritical point the Landau theory of second order phase transitions is applicable and gives α?1/2. We demonstrate that this value of α is in good agreement with the specific-heat measurements.     

Nuclear fragmentation: a paradigm for the study of phase transitions in small systems

Nuclei are finite representatives of infinite nuclear matter which is expected to undergo a phase transition similar to the macroscopic liquid-gas transition. We rely on a simple classical spin model in order to study the characterization of phase transitions whose existence can be observed in small systems. It is shown that finite systems may undergo transitions whose order is not, in specific cases, the effective order which is observed in the corresponding infinite (large) system. We show that scaling properties of order parameter fluctuation distributions related to the fragment content of the system may allow to signal the existence of a thermodynamic transition.     

Dynamics of a quantum phase transition

We present two approaches to the dynamics of a quench-induced phase transition in the quantum Ising model. One follows the standard treatment of thermodynamic second order phase transitions but applies it to the quantum phase transitions. The other approach is quantum, and uses Landau-Zener formula for transition probabilities in avoided level crossings. We show that predictions of the two approaches of how the density of defects scales with the quench rate are compatible, and discuss the ensuing insights into the dynamics of quantum phase transitions.     

Expanding the thermodynamical potential and analysis of the possible phase diagram of deconfinement in the FL model

Deconfinement phase transition is studied in the FL model at finite temperature and chemical potential. At MFT approximation, phase transition can only be first order in the whole μ-T phase plane. Using a Landau expansion, we further study the phase transition order and the possible phase diagram of deconfinement. We discuss the possibilities of second order phase transitions in the FL model. From our analysis, if the cubic term in the Landau expansion could be cancelled by the higher order fluctuations, second order phase transition may occur. By an ansatz of the Landau parameters, we obtain a possible phase diagram with both the first and second order phase transitions, including the tri-critical point which is similar to that of the chiral phase transition.     

Overview of phases and phase transitions

We provide an overview of some modern developments in the theory of phases and phase transitions in classical and quantum systems. We show the link between non-ergodicity and fidelity in quantum systems and discuss topological phase transitions. We show that the quantum phase transitions are associated with qualitative changes in some properties of the quantum wavefunctions across the phase transition. We discuss the topological phase transition associated with p-wave superconductor since it is a topic of wide interest because of the possible observation of Majorana fermions.     

First and second order phase transitions in gauge theories at finite temperature

We consider in general the nature of the phase transition which occurs in 4D gauge theories coupled to scalar and spinor fields at finite temperature. It is shown that the critical behavior can be isolated in an effective 3D theory of the zero frequency mode whose lagrangian may be calculated explicitly in weak coupling perturbation theory. This lagrangian, in turn, may be investigated by means of standard ?-expansion techniques. Theories with an asymptotically free gauge coupling constant possess no stable fixed point in the ?-expansion and are inferred to have weakly first-order phase transitions; theories not satisfying this condition may have second-order transitions.     

Effect of an electric field on ferroelastic phase transitions

The effect of an external electric field on the proper ferroelastic phase transitions described in a two-dimensional representation of the D _4h class is analyzed theoretically. The electric field induces a Lifshitz invariant. It is shown that this invariant does not lead to the formation of an incommensurate phase. The phase diagram for commensurate transitions occurring under the action of an electric field changes significantly. The second-order phase transition from the initial phase is split by an electric field of specific orientation into a sequence of two second-order phase transitions with close temperatures.