Abstract
We consider phase transitions on stepped surfaces. The Landau-Lifshitz rules are used as criteria for determining those (commensurate) superlattice structures that are “allowed”, i.e., may be reached by continuous phase transitions. The problem is reduced to an essentially two-dimensional case which allows one to make use of the results of Rottman. Tables of all possible allowed (commensurate) structures (with scalar order parameters) are given, along with a step-by-step procedure for determining whether a given superlattice structure on a given stepped surface is allowed. Some examples are treated in detail. It is also determined that all allowed transitions are in either the Ising or Xminus; Y with cubic anisotropy universality classes. The effects of random fields generated by non-uniform terrace width distributions are also mentioned.
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