title: New ordered phases in a class of generalized XY models.
abstract: It is well known that the 2D XY model exhibits an unusual infinite order phase transition belonging to the Kosterlitz-Thouless (KT) universality class. Introduction of a nematic coupling into the XY Hamiltonian leads to an additional phase transition in the Ising universality class [D. H. Lee and G. Grinstein, Phys. Rev. Lett. 55, 541 (1985)]. Using a combination of extensive Monte Carlo simulations and finite size scaling, we show that the higher order harmonics lead to a qualitatively different phase diagram, with additional ordered phases originating from the competition between the ferromagnetic and pseudonematic couplings. The new phase transitions belong to the 2D Potts, Ising, or KT universality classes.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, CP 15051, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fábio C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Poderoso
authors.forename: Jeferson J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Arenzon
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Levin