phase transitions; group action; space group; isotropy groups; free energy minima
Description/Abstract
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.
(c) 1985 American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in The Journal of Chemical Physics and may be found at http://link.aip.org/link/?JCPSA6/82/1496/1;