We present the general theory of Ising transitions in isotropic elastic media with vanishing thermal expansion. By constructing a minimal model with appropriate spin-lattice couplings, we show that in two… Click to show full abstract
We present the general theory of Ising transitions in isotropic elastic media with vanishing thermal expansion. By constructing a minimal model with appropriate spin-lattice couplings, we show that in two dimensions near a continuous transition the elasticity is anomalous in unusual ways: the system either significantly stiffens with a hitherto unknown unique, positional order logarithmically stronger than quasi-long-range order, or, as the inversion asymmetry of the order parameter in its coupling with strain increases, it destabilizes when system size L exceeds a finite threshold. In three dimensions, stronger inversion-asymmetric couplings induce instability to the long-range positional order for all L. Sufficiently strong order parameter-displacement couplings can also turn the phase transition first order at all dimensions, concomitant with finite jumps in the elastic modulii across the transition. Our theory establishes a one-to-one correspondence between the order of the phase transitions and anomalous elasticity near the transitions.
               
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