New phases, commensurate-incommensurate and disordering transitions in a solvable model of adsorbed layers

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Abstract
Commensurate-incommensurate and disordering phase transitions in adsorbed layers are studied. By considering more than one type of domain wall, certain dislocations can be included and studied in a free-fermion formalism. The model is solved exactly and exhibits commensurate, incommensurate, and new types of disordered phases. In the incommensurate phase the exponent η is not renormalized by these dislocations, and the disordering transition induced by them is distinct from Kosterlitz-Thouless melting. An interesting self-duality of the model is used to calculate correlation functions at high temperatures. The experimental implications of these new phases and phase transitions are discussed. A new nonclassical Lifshitz-type point is also observed.