Transformation of phase transitions driven by an anisotropic random field.
We carry out a comparative study of the influence of a random anisotropy field on continuous and discontinuous phase transitions. The ordered phase, which is reached via a continuous symmetry breaking phase transition, is characterized by an order parameter and by a corresponding hydrodynamic continuum field. We assume that the response of the hydrodynamic field to the imposed disorder results in a domainlike pattern of the system. For a strong enough disorder both transitions become gradual. For weaker disorder strengths the disorder converts a second order transition into a discontinuous one.
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Faculty of Physics, University of Bucharest, P. O. Box MG-11, Bucharest 76900, Romania.
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