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arXiv:1011.3321 · Journal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical

Phase transition of a two-dimensional generalized XY model

Yukihiro Komura, Yutaka Okabe

Published Nov 29, 2010• 7 citations
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Abstract

We study the two-dimensional generalized XY model that depends on an integer $q$ by the Monte Carlo method. This model was recently proposed by Romano and Zagrebnov. We find a single Kosterlitz-Thouless (KT) transition for all values of $q$, in contrast with the previous speculation that there may be two transitions, one a regular KT transition and another a first-order transition at a higher temperature. We show the universality of the KT transitions by comparing the universal finite-size scaling behaviors at different values of $q$ without assuming a specific universal form in terms of the KT transition temperature $T_{\rm KT}$.

DOI
10.1088/1751-8113/44/1/015002

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We study the two-dimensional generalized XY model that depends on an integer qqq by the Monte Carlo method. This model was recently proposed by Romano and Zagrebnov. We find a single Kosterlitz-Thouless (KT) transition for all values of qqq, in contrast with the previous speculation that there may be two transitions, one a regular KT transition and another a first-order transition at a higher temperature. We show the universality of the KT transitions by comparing the universal finite-size scaling behaviors at different values of qqq without assuming a specific universal form in terms of the KT transition temperature TKTT_{\rm KT}TKT​.
Besides the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless phase transition, the two-dimensional generalized XY model, identified by a generalization parameter qqq (as proposed by Romano and Zagrebnov), can also support a first-order phase transition, starting from a critical value qc{q}_{c}qc​. However, the value of qc{q}_{c}qc​ at which this transition takes place is unknown. In this paper, we take two approaches to accurately determine the critical parameter qc{q}_{c}qc​. Furthermore, we show that the model is characterized by three distinct regions concerning both first-order and Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless phase transitions. Finally, the underlying mechanism governing such transitions is presented, along with an estimation of the critical temperatures.
It is well known that the 2D XY model exhibits an unusual infinite order phase transition belonging to the Kosterlitz-Thouless (KT) universality class. Introduction of a nematic coupling into the XY Hamiltonian leads to an additional phase transition in the Ising universality class [D. H. Lee and G. Grinstein, Phys. Rev. Lett. 55, 541 (1985)]. Using a combination of extensive Monte Carlo simulations and finite size scaling, we show that the higher order harmonics lead to a qualitatively different phase diagram, with additional ordered phases originating from the competition between the ferromagnetic and pseudonematic couplings. The new phase transitions belong to the 2D Potts, Ising, or KT universality classes.
We study the two-dimensional XY\mathrm{XY}XY model with quenched random phases by Monte Carlo simulation and finite-size scaling analysis. We determine the phase diagram of the model and study its critical behavior as a function of disorder and temperature. If the strength of the randomness is less than a critical value, ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{c},$ the system has a Kosterlitz-Thouless (KT) phase transition from the paramagnetic phase to a state with quasi-long-range order. Our data suggest that the latter exists down to T=0T=0T=0 in contradiction with theories that predict the appearance of a low-temperature reentrant phase. At the critical disorder ${T}_{\mathrm{KT}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$ and for $\ensuremath{\sigma}>{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{c}$ there is no quasiordered phase. At zero temperature there is a phase transition between two different glassy states at ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{c}.$ The functional dependence of the correlation length on $\ensuremath{\sigma}$ suggests that this transition corresponds to the disorder-driven unbinding of vortex pairs.
Early theoretical studies of the two-dimensional XY model with four-fold anisotropy (XY h 4 ) predicted that any finite anisotropy should completely suppress Kosterlitz–Thouless (KT) transition of the isotropic system and replace it with a second-order phase transition. This prediction is inconsistent with Monte Carlo (MC) simulations, which suggested KT-like behavior at weak anisotropy. To resolve this discrepancy, we performed large-scale MC simulations to systematically examine the XY h 4 model across a wide range of anisotropic strengths. Our results indicate that while weak anisotropy can mimic KT behavior in small systems, a detailed finite-size scaling analysis of larger systems reveals that the temperature derivative of Binder ratio and the correlation length ratio displays scaling behaviors characteristic of a second-order transition even at the weak h 4 values. The critical exponent ν is non-universal and varies continuously with h 4 from weak to strong anisotropy. These findings confirm that XY h 4 model exhibits a second-order phase transition for weak finite anisotropy, effectively reconciling theoretical predictions with numerical observations.
We present detailed Monte Carlo results for the susceptibility \ensuremath{\chi}, correlation length \ensuremath{\xi}, and specific heat Cv{\mathit{C}}_{\mathit{v}}Cv​ for the XY model. The simulations are done on 642{64}^{2}642, 1282{128}^{2}1282, 2562{256}^{2}2562, and 5122{512}^{2}5122 lattices over the temperature range 0.98\ensuremath{\le}T\ensuremath{\le}1.43 corresponding to 270. Fits to \ensuremath{\chi} and \ensuremath{\xi} data favor a Kosterlitz-Thouless (KT) singularity over a second-order transition; however, unconstrained four-parameter KT fits do not confirm the predicted values \ensuremath{\nu}=0.5 and \ensuremath{\eta}=0.25. Our best estimate, Tc{\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}Tc​=0.894(5), is obtained using KT fits with \ensuremath{\nu} fixed at 0.5. The exponent \ensuremath{\eta} is calculated as a function of temperature in the spin-wave phase using Monte Carlo renormalization-group and finite-size-scaling methods. Both methods give consistent results and we find \ensuremath{\eta}\ensuremath{\approxeq}0.235 at T=0.894. We also present results for the behavior of vortex density across the transition and exhibit how the dilute-gas approximation breaks down.
The two-dimensional spin-1/2 XY model is investigated via an extensive quantum Monte Carlo simulation on square lattices as large as 128\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}128. The transverse susceptibility and correlation length show precise thermodynamic scaling behaviors of a phase transition of the Kosterlitz-Thouless type at kTc{\mathit{kT}}_{\mathit{c}}kTc​/J=0.353(3). The correlation functions near the transition point exhibit a universal scaling behavior. Various critical exponents are determined and our results demonstrate that the universality class of the two-dimensional quantum system with continuous symmetry is the same as its classical analog. The specific heat exhibits a finite peak around kT/J=0.45, decreases very rapidly near Tc{\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}Tc​, and falls off as T2{\mathit{T}}^{2}T2 near T=0, validating the spin-wave treatment. The ground-state energy is -0.5543(1)J per spin.