PHASE TRANSITIONS AND CRITICAL PHENOMENA IN CONDENSED MATTER SYSTEMS

Abstract

Phase transitions and critical phenomena are fundamental concepts in condensed matter physics, describing abrupt changes in the macroscopic properties of materials driven by variations in temperature, pressure, magnetic field, or other external parameters. Near critical points, systems exhibit universal behavior characterized by diverging correlation lengths and scale invariance. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of classical and quantum phase transitions, critical phenomena, theoretical models, experimental observations, and engineering relevance. The role of universality, renormalization group theory, and modern applications in materials science and technology are discussed.