Glassy behavior in systems with Kac-type step-function interaction.
We study a system with a weak, long-ranged repulsive Kac-type step-function interaction within the framework of a replicated effective phi(4) theory. The occurrence of extensive configurational entropy or an exponentially large number of metastable minima in the free energy (characteristic of a glassy state), is demonstrated. The underlying mechanism of mesoscopic patterning and defect organizations is discussed.
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