Size Effects on the Incommensurate Phase Transition in Thin Films

Abstract

The phenomenological theory of the incommensurate phase transition in thin films is presented for the case of the two-component order parameter when the Landau expansion comprises the Lifshits invariant. The distribution of the amplitude parameter over the film was obtained under the assumption of the modulation period much less than the film thickness. The size effect on the temperature of the phase transition into the incommensurate phase was considered.

Keywords:

• Size effect
• incommensurate phase
• thin film
• Lifshits invariant
• Landau theory

PACS codes:

• 68.18.Jk
• 61.44.Fw