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Dynamical test of phase transition order

  • P. E. Cladis
  • , Wim Van Saarloos
  • , David A. Huse
  • , J. S. Patel
  • , J. W. Goodby
  • , P. L. Finn

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The dynamics of the interface between an ordered phase, characterized by an order parameter, , and a disordered phase where =0 provide a promising, powerful tool to distinguish between continuous or second-order and weakly first-order phase transitions. We apply this idea to the nematic"smectic-A transition and find that this transition is weakly first order even when the latent heat is too small to measure.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1764-1767
Number of pages4
JournalPhysical review letters
Volume62
Issue number15
DOIs
StatePublished - 1989
Externally publishedYes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Physics and Astronomy

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