Dimension Reduction and Optimality of the Uniform State in a Phase-Field-Crystal Model Involving a Higher-Order Functional

We study a phase-field-crystal model described by a free energy functional involving second-order derivatives of the order parameter in a periodic setting and under a fixed mass constraint. We prove a $$\Gamma $$-convergence result in an asymptotic thin-film regime leading to a reduced two-dimensional model. For the reduced model, we prove necessary and sufficient conditions for the global minimality of the uniform state. We also prove similar results for the Ohta–Kawasaki model.