Quasiaverages and classification of equilibrium states of condensed media with spontaneously broken symmetry

Abstract

Classification of equilibrium states of condensed media with spontaneously broken symmetry is carried out. Conditions of residual symmetry and spatial symmetry are formulated. The connection between these symmetry conditions and equilibrium states of various media with tensor order parameter is found out. Superfluid ³He, liquid crystals, quadrupolar magnetics are considered in detail. Possible homogeneous and heterogeneous states are found out. Discrete and continuous thermodynamic parameters, which define an equilibrium state, allowable form of order parameter, residual symmetry, and spatial symmetry generators are established