 The model was introduced in 1961 by Roger Elliott from the University of Oxford, but only given this name in 1980 by Michael E. Fisher and Walter Selke.It provides a theoretical basis for understanding numerous experimental observations on commensurate and incommensurate structures, as well as accompanying phase transitions, in magnets, alloys, adsorbates, polytypes, multiferroics, and other solids.Further applications range from modeling of cortex to
quantum information.