Surface critical phenomena at first-order phase transitions

Abstract

Frequently, first-order phase transitions in solids are characterized by the coexistence of a disordered phase and several ordered phases. Near such a transition, the disordered phase may appear in the surface region of the crystal even though the bulk crystal remains in one of its ordered states. This leads to several critical effects which are characterized by critical exponents. Recent experimental data on order-disorder transitions and on surface melting seem to agree with the theoretical predictions.