Quantum corrections for the phase diagram of systems with competing order

We use the effective potential method of quantum field theory to obtain the quantum corrections to the zero temperature phase diagram of systems with competing order parameters. We are particularly interested in two different scenarios: regions of the phase diagram where there is a bicritical point, at which both phases vanish continuously, and the case where both phases coexist homogeneously. We consider different types of couplings between the order parameters, including a bilinear one. This kind of coupling breaks time-reversal symmetry and it is only allowed if both order parameters transform according to the same irreducible representation. This occurs in many physical systems of actual interest like competing spin density waves, different types of orbital antiferromagnetism, elastic instabilities of crystal lattices, vortices in a multigap SC and also applies to describe the unusual magnetism of the heavy fermion compound URu₂Si₂. Our results show that quantum corrections have an important effect on the phase diagram of systems with competing orders.