Nematic phases and the breaking of double symmetries

In this paper we present a phase classification of (effectively) two-dimensional non-Abelian nematics, obtained using the Hopf symmetry breaking formalism. In this formalism one exploits the underlying double symmetry which treats both ordinary and topological modes on equal footing, i.e. as representations of a single (non-Abelian) Hopf symmetry. The method that exists in the literature (and is developed in a paper published in parallel) allows for a full classification of defect mediated as well as ordinary symmetry breaking patterns and a description of the resulting confinement and/or liberation phenomena. After a summary of the formalism, we determine the double symmetries for tetrahedral, octahedral and icosahedral nematics and their representations. Subsequently the breaking patterns which follow from the formation of admissible defect condensates are analyzed systematically. This leads to a host of new (quantum and classical) nematic phases. Our result consists of a listing of condensates, with the corresponding intermediate residual symmetry algebra and the symmetry algebra characterizing the effective ``low energy'' theory of surviving unconfined and liberated degrees of freedom in the broken phase. The results suggest that the formalism is applicable to a wide variety of two dimensional quantum fluids, crystals and liquid crystals.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figures, correction to table VII, updated reference

Weight bases of Gelfand-Tsetlin type for representations of classical Lie algebras

This paper completes a series devoted to explicit constructions of finite-dimensional irreducible representations of the classical Lie algebras. Here the case of odd orthogonal Lie algebras (of type B) is considered (two previous papers dealt with C and D types). A weight basis for each representation of the Lie algebra o(2n+1) is constructed. The basis vectors are parametrized by Gelfand--Tsetlin-type patterns. Explicit formulas for the matrix elements of generators of o(2n+1) in this basis are given. The construction is based on the representation theory of the Yangians. A similar approach is applied to the A type case where the well-known formulas due to Gelfand and Tsetlin are reproduced.Comment: 29 pages, Late