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arXiv:2503.24226 · Physical review. B./Physical review. B

Asymptotic freedom and finite-size scaling of the two-dimensional classical Heisenberg model

Dingyun Yao, Chao Zhang, Z. Y. Xie, Zhijie Fan, Youjin Deng

Published Jun 2, 2025• 4 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

The classical Heisenberg model is one of the most fundamental models in statistical and condensed matter physics. Extensive theoretical and numerical studies suggest that, in two dimensions, this model does not exhibit a finite-temperature phase transition but instead manifests asymptotic freedom. However, some research has also proposed the possibility of a Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) phase transition over the years. In this study, we revisit the classical two-dimensional (2D) Heisenberg model through large-scale simulations with linear system sizes up to $L=16384$. Our Monte Carlo data, without any extrapolation, clearly reveal an exponential divergence of the correlation length $\ensuremath{\xi}$ as a function of the inverse temperature $\ensuremath{\beta}$, a hallmark of asymptotic freedom. Moreover, extrapolating $\ensuremath{\xi}$ to the thermodynamic limit in the low-temperature regime achieves close agreement with the three-loop perturbative calculations. We further propose a finite-size scaling (FSS) ansatz for $\ensuremath{\xi}$, demonstrating that the pseudocritical point ${\ensuremath{\beta}}_{L}$ diverges logarithmically with $L$. The thermodynamic and finite-size scaling behaviors of the magnetic susceptibility $\ensuremath{\chi}$ are also investigated and corroborate the predictions of asymptotic freedom. Our paper provides solid evidence for asymptotic freedom in the 2D Heisenberg model and advances understanding of finite-size scaling in such systems.

DOI
10.1103/physrevb.111.214403

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The classical Heisenberg model is one of the most fundamental models in statistical and condensed matter physics. Extensive theoretical and numerical studies suggest that, in two dimensions, this model does not exhibit a finite-temperature phase transition but instead manifests asymptotic freedom. However, some research has also proposed the possibility of a Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) phase transition over the years. In this study, we revisit the classical two-dimensional (2D) Heisenberg model through large-scale simulations with linear system sizes up to L=16384L=16384L=16384. Our Monte Carlo data, without any extrapolation, clearly reveal an exponential divergence of the correlation length \ensuremathξ\ensuremath{\xi}\ensuremathξ as a function of the inverse temperature \ensuremathβ\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremathβ, a hallmark of asymptotic freedom. Moreover, extrapolating \ensuremathξ\ensuremath{\xi}\ensuremathξ to the thermodynamic limit in the low-temperature regime achieves close agreement with the three-loop perturbative calculations. We further propose a finite-size scaling (FSS) ansatz for \ensuremathξ\ensuremath{\xi}\ensuremathξ, demonstrating that the pseudocritical point \ensuremathβL{\ensuremath{\beta}}_{L}\ensuremathβL​ diverges logarithmically with LLL. The thermodynamic and finite-size scaling behaviors of the magnetic susceptibility \ensuremathχ\ensuremath{\chi}\ensuremathχ are also investigated and corroborate the predictions of asymptotic freedom. Our paper provides solid evidence for asymptotic freedom in the 2D Heisenberg model and advances understanding of finite-size scaling in such systems.
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Results of Monte Carlo simulations of the ferromagnetic classical XXZ model on a square lattice are reported for interactions of the out of plane spin components \ensuremath{\lambda} varying between 0 and 0.99. For all the value of \ensuremath{\lambda} the signature of a Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) phase transition was observed, and the corresponding critical temperature was located both by BKT fits and finite-size scaling methods. Data for in-plane and out of plane susceptibility, correlation length, specific heat, and internal energy are given in a broad range of temperature and for lattice sizes ranging from 32\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}32 to 256\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}256.
At low temperatures, the two-dimensional continuous-spin systems exhibit large correlation lengths. Some of them show the Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless-like transitions, and some others show pseudocritical behaviors for which correlation lengths are extremely large but finite. To distinguish pseudo and genuine critical behaviors, it is important to understand the nature of spin-spin correlations and topological defects at low temperatures in continuous-spin systems. In this paper, I develop a finite-size scaling analysis which is suitable for distinguishing the critical behavior and its applications to the two-dimensional XY, Heisenberg, and RP(2) models.
The ground-state parameters of the two-dimensional S=1/2S=1/2S=1/2 antiferromagnetic Heisenberg model are calculated using the stochastic series expansion quantum Monte Carlo method for $L\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}L$ lattices with LLL up to 161616. The finite-size results for the energy EEE, the sublattice magnetization MMM, the long-wavelength susceptibility ${\ensuremath{\chi}}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}(q=2\ensuremath{\pi}/L)$, and the spin stiffness ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{s},$ are extrapolated to the thermodynamic limit using fits to polynomials in 1/L1/L1/L, constrained by scaling forms previously obtained from renormalization-group calculations for the nonlinear $\ensuremath{\sigma}$ model and chiral perturbation theory. The results are fully consistent with the predicted leading finite-size corrections, and are of sufficient accuracy for extracting also subleading terms. The subleading energy correction $(\ensuremath{\sim}{1/L}^{4})$ agrees with chiral perturbation theory to within a statistical error of a few percent, thus providing numerical confirmation of the finite-size scaling forms to this order. The extrapolated ground- state energy per spin is $E=\ensuremath{-}0.669437(5)$. The result from previous Green's function Monte Carlo (GFMC) calculations is slightly higher than this value, most likely due to a small systematic error originating from ``population control'' bias in GFMC. The other extrapolated parameters are M=0.3070(3)M=0.3070(3)M=0.3070(3), ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{s}=0.175(2)$, ${\ensuremath{\chi}}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}=0.0625(9)$, and the spin-wave velocity c=1.673(7)c=1.673(7)c=1.673(7). The statistical errors are comparable with those of previous estimates obtained by fitting loop algorithm quantum Monte Carlo data to finite-temperature scaling forms. Both MMM and ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{s}$ obtained from the finite-TTT data are, however, a few error bars higher than the present estimates. It is argued that the T=0T=0T=0 extrapolations performed here are less sensitive to effects of neglected higher-order corrections, and therefore should be more reliable.
We test an improved finite-size scaling method for reliably extracting the critical temperature T BKT of a Berezinskii–Kosterlitz–Thouless (BKT) transition. Using known single-parameter logarithmic corrections to the spin stiffness ρ s at T BKT in combination with the Kosterlitz–Nelson relation between the transition temperature and the stiffness, ρ s ( T BKT ) = 2 T BKT /π, we define a size-dependent transition temperature T BKT ( L 1 , L 2 ) based on a pair of system sizes L 1 , L 2 , e.g., L 2 = 2 L 1 . We use Monte Carlo data for the standard two-dimensional classical XY model to demonstrate that this quantity is well behaved and can be reliably extrapolated to the thermodynamic limit using the next expected logarithmic correction beyond the ones included in defining T BKT ( L 1 , L 2 ). For the Monte Carlo calculations we use GPU (graphical processing unit) computing to obtain high-precision data for L up to 512. We find that the sub-leading logarithmic corrections have significant effects on the extrapolation. Our result T BKT = 0.8935(1) is several error bars above the previously best estimates of the transition temperature, T BKT ≈ 0.8929. If only the leading log-correction is used, the result is, however, consistent with the lower value, suggesting that previous works have underestimated T BKT because of the neglect of sub-leading logarithms. Our method is easy to implement in practice and should be applicable to generic BKT transitions.