Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Example Of A Group Action Determined Phase Transition, Jeffrey W. Felix, Dorian M. Hatch

Faculty Publications

The principles of the group action approach to structural phase transitions are outlined. It is assumed that all properties of the transition are determined by the action of a single physically irreducible represention of the space group of the more symmetric phase. We determine the isotropy groups using the image space of the representation. The free energy minima are determined to fourth order and to all orders using the results of Gufan and then compared. This theory is applied to Calcite (Roverline3c) to determine all possible continuous commensurate phase transitions.