Pretransitional phenomena in dilute crystals with first-order phase transition

TL;DR

This paper investigates pretransitional phenomena in dilute crystals undergoing first-order phase transitions, revealing nonanalytical behavior of the order parameter and anomalous relaxation effects near the transition.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis of how impurities affect pretransitional phenomena and the nature of phase transition behavior in dilute crystals.

Findings

Field dependence of order parameter becomes nonanalytical in the stability region.

Smeared jumps of thermodynamic parameters occur near transition temperature.

Anomalous (non-exponential) relaxation appears near the transition.

Abstract

Pretransitional phenomena at first-order phase transition in crystals diluted by 'neutral' impurities (analogue of nonmagnetic atoms in dilute magnets) are considered. It is shown that field dependence of order parameter becomes nonanalytical in the stability region of the ordered phase, while smeared jumps of thermodynamic parameters and anomalous (non-exponential) relaxation appear near transition temperature of pure crystal.