Continuous RSB mean-field solution of the Potts glass

Abstract

We investigate the p-state mean-field model of the Potts glass ($2\le p \le 4$) below the continuous phase transition to a glassy phase. We find that apart from a solution with a first hierarchical level of replica-symmetry breaking (1RSB), locally stable close to the transition point, there is a continuous full replica-symmetry breaking (FRSB) solution. The latter is marginally stable and has a higher free energy than the former. We argue that the true equilibrium is reached only by FRSB, being globally thermodynamically homogeneous, whereas 1RSB is only locally homogeneous.

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