title: Scaling phenomena driven by inhomogeneous conditions at first-order quantum transitions.
abstract: We investigate the effects of smooth inhomogeneities at first-order quantum transitions (FOQTs), such as those arising in the presence of a space-dependent external field, which smooths out the discontinuities of the low-energy properties at the transition. We argue that a universal scaling behavior emerges in the space transition region close to the point in which the external field takes the value for which the homogeneous system undergoes the FOQT. We verify the general theory in two model systems. We consider the quantum Ising chain in the ferromagnetic phase and the q-state Potts chain for q=10, investigating the scaling behavior which arises in the presence of an additional inhomogeneous parallel and transverse magnetic field, respectively. Numerical results are in full agreement with the general theory.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisica dell'Università di Pisa and INFN, Largo Pontecorvo 3, I-56127 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Campostrini
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisica dell'Università di Pisa and INFN, Largo Pontecorvo 3, I-56127 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Jacopo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nespolo
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisica dell'Università di Roma "La Sapienza" and INFN, Sezione di Roma I, I-00185 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pelissetto
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisica dell'Università di Pisa and INFN, Largo Pontecorvo 3, I-56127 Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vicari