Phase ordering and symmetries of the Potts model

Abstract

We have studied the ordering of the q-colours Potts model in two dimensions on a square lattice. On the basis of our observations we propose that if q is large enough the system is not able to break global and local null magnetisation symmetries at zero temperature: when q<4 the system forms domains with a size proportional to the system size while for q>4 it relaxes towards a non-equilibrium phase with energy larger than the ground state energy, in agreement with the previous findings of De Oliveira et al. (M. J. de Oliveira, A. Petri, T. Tome, Europhys. Lett., 65, 20 (2004)).