REPLICA-SYMMETRY BREAKING FOR THE ASHKIN-TELLER SPIN-GLASS

The infinite-range Ashkin-Teller spin glass is studied by the replica method. Attention is focused on the implementation of Parisi's replica -symmetry-breaking scheme, and it is shown that, in general, two order -parameter functions are necessary to treat the problem. The change of behaviour of these functions is analysed in the interpolating region between two particular cases of the model: the four-state clock and Po tts spin glasses. For most of this interpolating interval, the four-st ate clock behaviour dominates through the prevalence of one of the fun ctions; only when the four-state Potts limit is approached, is it that both functions become of the same order of magnitude and then a cross over occurs.