Stationary layered solutions in \(\mathbb{R}^ 2\) for an Allen-Cahn system with multiple well potential (Q1357536)

The authors study entire solutions on \(\mathbb{R}^2\) of the elliptic system \[ -\Delta u+\nabla W(u)=0,\tag{1} \] where \(W:\mathbb{R}^2\to \mathbb{R}\) is a multiple-well potential, that is \(W(z)\geq 0\) for all \(z\in\mathbb{R}^2\) and \(W(z)= 0\) at a finite number of points \(z= c_1,\dots,c_p\). The solutions \(u(x_1,x_2)\) considered are of ``heteroclinic'' type, that is, for each fixed \(x_2\) they connect (as \(x_1\to\pm\infty\)) two of the minima \(c_1,\dots,c_p\) of \(W\), and they also connect two ``one-dimensional stationary waves'' associated to equation (1) as \(x_2\to\pm\infty\). Moreover, some asymptotic conditions are imposed on \(u(x_1,x_2)\) as \(|(x_1,x_2)|\to+ \infty\). Equation (1) arises in the study of the reaction-diffusion system \[ {\partial v\over\partial t}=\varepsilon^2\Delta v-\nabla W(v),\quad x\in\Omega\subset\mathbb{R}^2\tag{2} \] as \(\varepsilon\to 0^+\). Indeed, solutions of (2) tend to functions which take their values in the finite set \(\{c_1,\dots,c_p\}\) of minimum points of \(W\), whereas equation (1) appears as the first term in the expansion around a point of a separating interface. It should be noted that when the function \(W\) has three (or more) minimum points, the interfaces may join at a triple junction point; in this case it is interesting to study [see \textit{L. Bronsard}, \textit{C. Gui}, and \textit{M. Schatzman}, Commun. Pure Appl. Math. 49, No. 7, 677-715 (1996; Zbl 0855.35035)] the so-called ``three layered solutions'' of (1).