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arXiv:2501.14320

Microscopic study of 3D Potts phase transition via Fuzzy Sphere Regularization

Shuai Yang, Yan-Guang Yue, Yin Tang, Chao Han, Zhu, W., Yan Chen

Published Jan 24, 2025• 0 citations
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Abstract

The Potts model describes interacting spins with $Q$ different components, which is a direct generalization of the Ising model ($Q=2$). Compared to the existing exact solutions in 2D, the phase transitions and critical phenomena in the 3D Potts model have been less explored. Here, we systematically investigate a quantum $(2+1)$-D Potts model with $Q=3$ using a fuzzy sphere regularization scheme. We first construct a microscopic model capable of achieving a magnetic phase transition that separates a spin $S_3$ permutationally symmetric paramagnet and a spontaneous symmetry-breaking ferromagnet. Importantly, the energy spectrum at the phase transition point exhibits an approximately conformal symmetry, implying that an underlying conformal field theory may govern this transition. Moreover, when tuning along the phase transition line in the mapped phase diagram, we find that the dimension of the subleading $S_3$ singlet operator flows and drifts around the critical value $\sim 3$, which is believed to be crucial for understanding this phase transition, although determining its precise value remains challenging due to the limitations of our finite-size calculations. These findings suggest a discontinuous transition in the 3D 3-state Potts model, characterized by pseudo-critical behavior, which we argue results from a nearby multicritical or complex fixed point.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.2501.14320

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The Potts model describes interacting spins with QQQ different components, which is a direct generalization of the Ising model (Q=2Q=2Q=2). Compared to the existing exact solutions in 2D, the phase transitions and critical phenomena in the 3D Potts model have been less explored. Here, we systematically investigate a quantum (2+1)(2+1)(2+1)-D Potts model with Q=3Q=3Q=3 using a fuzzy sphere regularization scheme. We first construct a microscopic model capable of achieving a magnetic phase transition that separates a spin S3S_3S3​ permutationally symmetric paramagnet and a spontaneous symmetry-breaking ferromagnet. Importantly, the energy spectrum at the phase transition point exhibits an approximately conformal symmetry, implying that an underlying conformal field theory may govern this transition. Moreover, when tuning along the phase transition line in the mapped phase diagram, we find that the dimension of the subleading S3S_3S3​ singlet operator flows and drifts around the critical value ∼3\sim 3∼3, which is believed to be crucial for understanding this phase transition, although determining its precise value remains challenging due to the limitations of our finite-size calculations. These findings suggest a discontinuous transition in the 3D 3-state Potts model, characterized by pseudo-critical behavior, which we argue results from a nearby multicritical or complex fixed point.
Conformal field theory (CFT) offers a modern viewpoint for understanding phase transitions. However, directly accessing the conformal algebra and microscopically uncovering the emergent conformal symmetry, especially in higher dimensions, remains a significant challenge. Motivated by recent advances in revealing CFT features via the fuzzy two-sphere, here we generalize this approach to higher dimensions and aim to expose the conformality at the (3+1)-D quantum critical point. We demonstrate this framework by investigating quantum phase transitions belonging to the Ising and Yang-Lee universality classes in a (3+1)-D quantum model (equivalent to a classical four-dimensional system), realized via Landau level projection on the fuzzy three-sphere. By computing the energy spectra at criticality, we explicitly verify the state-operator correspondence, a hallmark of conformal invariance. Together with prior advances, this work establishes a new pathway for the microscopic study of emergent conformality in higher-dimensional phase transitions.
The three-dimensional cubic conformal field theory governs the critical behavior of Heisenberg magnets with cubic anisotropy. Studying this theory nonperturbatively is challenging because its most easily accessible observables are numerically very close to those of the more symmetric O ( 3 ) model. In this work, we overcome this difficulty using the fuzzy sphere regularization method. By adding a cubic-invariant two-body interaction to the quantum rotor Hamiltonian used for the O ( 3 ) model, we break the continuous rotational symmetry by construction and unambiguously isolate the cubic critical point. Using exact diagonalization and the density matrix renormalization group, we calculate the scaling dimensions of several key operators, including the leading scalar singlets, and resolve the splitting of the O ( 3 ) rank-two traceless symmetric tensor into the E g and T 2 g representations of the cubic group. Our results are consistent with existing Monte Carlo, conformal perturbation theory, and ɛ expansion benchmarks, demonstrating the power of the fuzzy sphere in resolving closely spaced universality classes.
The 3D Ising transition, the most celebrated and unsolved critical phenomenon in nature, has long been conjectured to have emergent conformal symmetry, similar to the case of the 2D Ising transition.Yet, the emergence of conformal invariance in the 3D Ising transition has rarely been explored directly, mainly due to unavoidable mathematical or conceptual obstructions.Here, we design an innovative way to study the quantum version of the 3D Ising phase transition on spherical geometry, using the "fuzzy (noncommutative) sphere" regularization.We accurately calculate and analyze the energy spectra at the transition, and explicitly demonstrate the state-operator correspondence (i.e., radial quantization), a fingerprint of conformal field theory.In particular, we identify13 parity-even primary operators within a high accuracy and two parity-odd operators that were not known before.Our result directly elucidates the emergent conformal symmetry of the 3D Ising transition, a conjecture made by Polyakov half a century ago.More importantly, our approach opens a new avenue for studying 3D conformal field theories by making use of the state-operator correspondence and spherical geometry.
Numerical studies of phase transitions in statistical and quantum lattice models provide crucial insights into the corresponding Conformal Field Theories (CFTs). In higher dimensions, comparing finite-volume numerical results to infinite-volume CFT data is facilitated by choosing the sphere S^{d-1} S d − 1 as the spatial manifold. Recently, the fuzzy sphere regulator [Zhu et al, Phys. Rev. X 13, 021009 (2023)] has enabled such studies with exact rotational invariance, yielding impressive agreement with known 3D Ising CFT predictions, as well as new results. However, systematic improvements and a deeper understanding of finite-size corrections remain essential. In this work, we revisit the fuzzy sphere regulator, focusing on the original Ising model, with two main goals. First, we assess the robustness of this approach using Conformal Perturbation Theory (CPT), to which we provide a detailed guidebook. We demonstrate how CPT provides a unified framework for determining the critical point, the speed of light, and residual deviations from CFT predictions. Applying this framework, we study finite-size corrections and clarify the role of tuning the model in minimizing these effects. Second, we develop a novel method for extracting Operator Product Expansion (OPE) coefficients from fuzzy sphere data. This method leverages the sensitivity of energy levels to detuning from criticality, providing new insights into level mixing and avoided crossings in finite systems. Our work also includes validation of CPT in a 1+1D Ising model away from the integrable limit.
The spin-1 Ising model on the square lattice with nearest-neighbor ferromagnetic exchange interactions [both bilinear (JJJ) and biquadratic (KKK) and crystal-field interaction ($\ensuremath{\Delta}$) is studied via a renormalization-group transformation in position space. The phase diagram in JJJ, KKK, $\ensuremath{\Delta}$ space is found to have one surface of critical phase transitions and two surfaces of first-order phase transitions. These surfaces are variously bounded by an ordinary tricritical line, an isolated critical line, and a line of critical end points. These three lines joint at a special tricritical point corresponding to the transition of the three-state Potts model. The over-all phase diagram is qualitatively similar to that obtained with the mean-field approximation, except in the vicinity of the Potts transition where a four-phase coexistence line in mean-field theory shrinks into a special tricritical point in renormalization-group theory. Symmetry considerations guide the construction of our truncated renormalization-group transformation. The global connectivity and local exponents of the thirteen separate fixed points underlying this quite complicated structure are determined. Local analysis with respect to magnetic field (HHH) and another odd interaction (LLL) is performed. A one-adjusted-parameter version of our transformation yields remarkably quantitative results, predicting the Potts transition temperature, for example, within 0.3% of the exact value.
The Wilson-Fisher criticality provides a paradigm for a large class of phase transitions in nature (e.g., helium, ferromagnets). In three dimensions, Wilson-Fisher critical points are not exactly solvable due to the strongly correlated feature, so one has to resort to nonperturbative tools such as numerical simulations. Here, we design a microscopic model of Heisenberg magnet bilayer and study the underlying Wilson-Fisher O(3)\mathrm{O}(3)O(3) transition through the lens of fuzzy sphere regularization. We uncover a wealth of crucial information which directly reveals the emergent conformal symmetry regarding this fixed point. Specifically, we accurately calculate and analyze the energy spectra at the transition, and explicitly identify the existence of a conserved Noether current, a stress tensor, and relevant primary fields. Most importantly, the primaries and their descendants form a fingerprint conformal tower structure, pointing to an almost perfect state-operator correspondence. Furthermore, by examining the leading rank-4 symmetric tensor operator, we demonstrate the cubic perturbation is relevant, implying the critical O(3)\mathrm{O}(3)O(3) model is unstable to cubic anisotropy, in agreement with the renormalization group and bootstrap calculations. The successful dissection of conformal content of the Wilson-Fisher universality class extends the horizon of the fuzzy sphere method and paves the way for exploring higher-dimensional conformal field theories.