Many macroscopic properties of materials are determined primarily by inhomogeneous structures and textures. These intermediate-scale structures often arise from

Systems displaying competing interactions of some kind are widespread - much more, in fact, as commonly anticipated (magnetic and Ising-type interactions or the

In the many physical phenomena ruled by partial differential equations, two extreme fields are currently overcrowded due to recent considerable developments: 1)

It is common practice today to use the term "alloy" in connection with specific classes of materials, with prominence given to metals and semiconductors. Howeve