We consider a “generalized Heisenberg model”, with a Hamiltonian given by ℋ︁(D) = –JΣij S(D)j, where the quantities Si are isotropically-interacting D-dimensional classical spins and the summation is restricted to nearest-neighbor pairs of sites <i,j>. Thus when D = 1, 2, and 3, this model reduces to the S = 1/2 Ising, plane rotator, and classical Heisenberg models which are useful for describing phase transitions in, respectively, liquid-gas systems, Bose fluids, and magnetic materials. Unfortunately this Hamiltonian is exactly soluble only in the limit D → ∞, in which case the solution corresponds to the spherical model of Berlin and Kac. For finite D, we must consider approximation procedures in order to obtain any useful information. In this paper we develop a diagrammatic representation, valid for arbitrary D, for successive terms in the high-temperature expansions of the free energy and the spin-spin correlation function—from which we can obtain series expansions for all the thermodynamic properties of the system.
Using the vertex renormalized form of the technique developed by Englert,1 high-temperature series expansions for the spin-spin correlation function of the classical anisotropic Heisenberg model are calculated for various lattices and anisotropies through order T−8 (close-packed lattices) and T−9 (loose-packed lattices). These series are combined and then extrapolated to give the high-temperature critical indices γ (zero-field susceptibility), ν (correlation range), and α (specific heat) as functions of anisotropy. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the critical indices only change when there is a change in the symmetry of the system, e.g., in interpolating between the Ising and isotropic Heisenberg models, indices remain Ising-like until the system becomes isotropic, at which point they appear to change discontinuously. Previous results for the limiting cases are confirmed and extended. Series for the limiting cases (spin-infinity Ising, XY and isotropic Heisenberg models) as well as for the spin-½ Ising model2 have been derived for the B-site spinel lattice. Analysis of these series shows that the anomalies in the critical indices, reported on the basis of six-term expansions,3 disappear with the use of longer series.
A model Hamiltonian H=−JΣ(ij)Si·Sj is considered, where Si are isotropically interacting D-dimensional classical spins. Thus the S=½ Ising, classical planar, and classical Heisenberg models are obtained if D=1, 2, and 3, respectively; moreover, as D→∞, the free energy corresponding to H approaches the free energy of the exactly-soluble spherical model of Berlin and Kac. H can also be solved exactly providing the lattice dimensionality d=1. For lattices of higher dimensionality, we must resort to approximation techniques; hence we calculate high-temperature expansions for arbitrary D and d of the susceptibility, internal energy (specific heat), and the second moment. (With a few exceptions, such expansions have been available in the past only for D=1, 3 and d=1–3.) Somewhat smoother series to facilitate more reliable extrapolation are then obtained by re-expanding all of the series in terms of the nearest-neighbor spin correlation function for a one-dimensional lattice. We then study the dependence on spin and lattice dimensionality of the critical temperatures Tc(D, d) and the critical exponents γ(D, d) [(χ∼(T-Tc)−γ], α(D, d) [C∼(T-Tc)−α], ν(D, d) [inverse correlation range κ∼(T-Tc)−v]. These ``critical properties'' are all found to vary monotonically (and in most cases, smoothly) with D and d. The assumptions behind making critical phenomena predictions from a dozen or so terms (of an infinite series!) are given increased plausibility by the fact that we have extended the various expansions for the spherical model to 80–100 terms and find that none of the predictions based upon ∼10 terms is changed [e.g., Tc(∞, 2)=0, γ(∞, 3)=2, etc.].
A general perturbation theory of the statistics of spin interactions is developed in the form of a linked cluster expansion with particular emphasis on the Ising model. The theory applies to the evaluation of the expectation value of arbitrary spin functions as well as of the free energy. The thermodynamical consistency of the perturbation expansion is shown to arise from (1) variational principles satisfied by the free energy after a "renormalization procedure" has been carried out and (2) a generalized "Ward Identity" between renormalized quantities. These results are used to discuss inconsistencies in recent high-density theories of ferromagnetism and an improved theory obtained by the summation of all the convolution diagrams (nodal expansion) is briefly presented. The applicability of the method to general quantum mechanical many-body problems, including the theory of the Heisenberg model of ferromagnetism, is shown.
A new and simple diagrammatic expansion is developed for the free energy of the Ising model with arbitrary spin and range of interaction. The contribution of each diagram is a product of (1) the reciprocal of the order of the symmetry group of the diagram, (2) a product of semi-invariants, with a factor
Mn for each spin in the diagram
n being the number of bonds joined to that spin) and (3) a sum of products $\ensuremath{\Sigma}{i,j,k,\ensuremath{\cdots}}^{}(2\ensuremath{\beta}{J}_{\mathrm{ij}})(2\ensuremath{\beta}{J}_{\mathrm{kl}})\ensuremath{\cdots}$, where $2\ensuremath{\beta}{J}_{\mathrm{ij}}$ corresponds to a bond between spins
i and
j, and where the summation is carried out with no restrictions on the summation indices (i.e., no "excluded volume" corrections). The expansion variables are the spin deviation operators ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{i}\ensuremath{\equiv}\overline{S}\ensuremath{-}{S}_{\mathrm{iz}}$. The quantity
S is chosen to eliminate a large class of diagrams; this choice also minimizes the corresponding free-energy contribution and implies
S=〈Siz〉. By further renormalization of the vertices all reducible (i.e., simply articulated) diagrams are eliminated. To zero order the molecular field solution is obtained. The next approximation consists of the summation of renormalized simple loop diagrams. The justification of this choice of diagrams rests, at low temperature, on the decrease of the value of the higher order semi-invariants, on the relationship of these loop diagrams to the random phase approximation, and on the agreement with the rigorous low-temperature series result. At the Curie temperature the same choice of diagrams is justified by a modification of Brout's
z1 criterion, so that the expansion can be viewed as an expansion in
z1, where
z is the effective number of spins interacting with a given spin. Finally the choice of loop diagrams is justified at high temperature by exact agreement to second order in
TTc (and by a very close agreement to fourth order) with the rigorous high-temperature series expansion. Thus the theory agrees with rigorous results in the low-temperature and paramagnetic regions and has a well-defined criterion of validity in the intermediate temperature region. For nearest-neighbor interactions and spin \textonehalf{} the specific heat is continuous through the Curie temperature, with an infinite slope on the low-temperature side of the transition.